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BV  2369  .S8 

Stevenson,  John  McMillan, 

1812-1896. 
Toils'  and  triumphs  of  Union 


TOILS  AND  TRIUMPHS 


OF 


%mm  gissiuiwwj  Jfatyarfit^ 


FOE 


TWENTY-FIVE  YEARS, 


BY  ONE  OF  THE  SECKETAKIES 

OF  THE  AMERICAN  TRACT  SOCIETY. 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE 
AMERICAN   TRACT   SOCIETY, 

150  NASSAU-STREET,  NEW  YORK. 


We  address  in  the  following  pages  our 
brethren  in  the  Ministry  and  the  pasto- 
rate, officers  in  the  army  of  the  Lord  of 
hosts,  who  are  eager  to  discern  and 
prompt  to  accept  whatever  scriptural 
agency  shall  proffer  its  aid  in  their  work 
of  subduing  the  world  to  Christ ;  we 
address  church  officers  and  men  of  be- 
nevolent hearts  and  means  who  have 
consecrated  themselves  and  their  wealth 
to  the  advancement  of  Christ's  kingdom  ; 
we  address  all  who  love  •our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  and  the  souls  he  has  redeemed, 
beseeching  each  one  to  extend  to  the 
system  of  Christian  effort  herein  por- 
trayed, such  sympathy,  prayer  and  co- 
operation as,  in  his  judgment,  wdien 
candidly  made  up,  shall  best  subserve 
the  cause  of  our  common  Lord. 

'  J.  m.  s. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I. 

Colpoetage,  Origin  and  Nature  oe  the  System — His- 
tory— Elements  of  power  in  combination — Why  called 
Missionary — Why  Union page      5 

CHAPTER  II. 

The  True  Place  of  this  Union  Agency — Visible  church 
now  divided — Vital  question:  "Shall  I  work  only  with 
my  own  branch  ?" — Answer — It  has  high  claims — Church 
universal  high  claims — Christ  the  highest  claims — Work 
in  both  ways - - -    13 

CHAPTER  in. 

The  Need  of  such  an  Agency — Causes  of  Destitution — 
Extent  not  appreciated — Illustrations  in  New  England — 
New  York — Middle  Western — Southern  states  —  Con- 
clusion   - 25 

CHAPTER  IT. 

Special  Adaptation  of  Union  Missionary  Colpoetage  to 
this  Want  —  Denominational  colportage  adapted  to  its 
own  people  —  Union  colportage  to  the  outyling — As 
seen  in  the  character  and  range  of  its  literature  and  the 
spirit  of  its  laborers — Welcomed  by  all — Specially  adapt- 
ed to  the  divided  state  of  the  church — To  the  common 
mind — To  the  very  poor  and  destitute — To  the  sick  and 
dying — to  those  speaking  foreign  tongues 35 

CHAPTER  V. 

The  Versatility  of  Colpoetage— Can  turn  its  hand  to  any 
good  work — To  Soldiers — To  Seamen  —  To  Infidels — 
To  Eomanists 51 


4  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Kesuxts — It  forestalls  bad  by  good  books — Promotes  the 
Sabbath-school  cause  —  Aids  the  ministry — Promotes 
revivals  and  the  formation  of  churches — Trains  workers 
for  Christ — The  German  errand-boy — The  youth  of  the 
swamp - -- ---"._ 70 

chapter  yn. 

A  Comprehensive  View — An  individual  record— A  partial 
exhibit— General  summation — Conclusion -  -  -     98 


CONTEXTS  OF  APPENDIX. 


Statements  of  Colporteues —  The  work  exemplified — 
'  Hard  work  and  its  fruits — A  day's  work  and  its  results — 
Power  of  the  press  among  the  destitute — Colportage 
permeating  and  attracting — The  union  element  —  107 

Testimony  of  Expeeience — A  father's  words  —  Aids  the 
ministry — Origin  and  practical  working  of  colportage — 
Its  power — Aggressive  character — Four  definite  conclu- 
sions   - - - 115 

Testimony  of  Retired  Laboeees — Catholicity — Four  de- 
ductions—Colportage  cooperative  and  supplementary — 
An  earnest  exhibit — Colportage  fits  for  foreign  mission- 
ary labor — General  view -- 132 

Opinions  of  Pastoes  —  Colportage  indispensable— In 
crowded  as  in  scattered  communities — Especially  in  the 
South — As  a  pioneer — Its  relation  to  organized  church- 
es— Fruits  gathered- -  147 

An  Aemy  Colpoeteur  described 157 


COLPORTAGE 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  SYSTEM  DESCRIBED. 

In  the  year  1841  was  inaugurated  by  the 
officers  of  the  American  Tract  Society  the 
system  of  Union  Missionary  Colportage,  they 
little  imagining  whereunto  it  would  grow. 
Having  completed  its  quarter  of  a  century, 
we  come  to  speak  of  its  toils  and  triumphs, 
and  commend  its  further  prosecution  and 
wide  expansion  to  the  attention  of  the  church 
universal. 

The  spirit  of  colportage  is  found  in  apos- 
tolic times,  when  the  disciples,  "who  were 
scattered  abroad,  went  everywhere  preach- 
ing the  word."  The  name  colporteur,  of 
French  origin,  was  at  an  early  day  applied 
to  the  bearer  of  religious  books  from  house 


6  COLPORTAGE. 

to  house,  combating  error,  and  talking  with 
the  people  of  the  great  salvation.  In  the 
Reformation,  "Germany  was  overrun  with 
colporteurs,"  and  Luther's  works  were  thus 
circulated  in  France,  Spain,  England,  and 
Italy. 

In  more  recent  times  the  term  describes  a 
large  class  of  laborers  in  Europe  who  are 
diffusing  the  Bible  and  other  books,  by  sale 
or  gift,  among  the  masses  of  the  people.  Its 
present  form  in  our  country  was  given  it  in 
the  spring  of  1841.  For  some  years  previous 
to  this  date  the  American  Tract  Society  had 
prosecuted  with  large  success  the  volume  en- 
terprise and  tract  distribution,  during  which, 
with  the  aid  of  above  thirty  thousand  volun- 
tary laborers,  two  million  volumes  of  evan- 
gelical truth  were  put  into  circulation,  largely 
in  the  cities,  chief  towns,  and  wealthy  neigh- 
borhoods. This  effort  brought  out  the  fact 
that  immense  numbers  of  our  population,  and 
they  the  most  needy,  could  not  be  reached 
by  this  effort,  and  hence  that  some  benevo- 
lent scheme  must  be  devised  for  carrying  to 
their  houses  the  word  of  life. 

At  this  juncture,  while  the  tear  of  compas- 


THE    SYSTEM    DESCRIBED.  7 

sion  was  falling  over  the  neglected  millions  of 
the  land,  and  the  executive  officers  were  anx- 
iously inquiring  what  could  be  done,  the  agent 
for  volume  circulation  at  the  West,  Mr.  Seely 
Wood,  one  of  the  first  and  most  energetic 
laborers  in  the  work,  came  to  the  anniver- 
sary, and  spread  before  the  Committee  the 
immense  population  unreached  by  the  agen- 
cies of  the  Society  on  his  field.  "Will  the 
Christian  public  sustain  the  men  sent  out 
to  visit  the  destitute  and  dying  masses?" 
was  the  question  anxiously  canvassed  by  the 
executive  officers,  Hallock,  Eastman,  and 
Cook,  Mr.  Wood,  and  others.  During  pro- 
tracted conferences,  in  which  the  senior  Sec- 
retary with  special  earnestness  insisted  that 
the  destitute  masses  must  be  sought  out  at 
their  own  homes,  it  was  at  length  determined 
to  inaugurate  the  work,  the  Committee  throw- 
ing itself  in  faith  upon  the  benevolence  of  the 
churches.  Secretary  Cook  attended  the  an- 
niversary of  the  Society  in  Boston  a  few  days 
thereafter,  and  there  publicly  presented  the 
scheme,  when  two  men  immediately  proposed 
to  go  out  as  colporteurs,  and  a  patron  ap- 
peared to  sustain  one  of  them.     Thus  was 


8  COLPORTAGE. 

originated  Union  Missionary  Colportage,  to 
which  Mr.  Cook  gave  for  many  years  the 
best  powers  of  his  gifted  mind.  At  the  close 
of  the  first  year,  eleven  colporteurs  had  been 
commissioned  ;  at  the  end  of  the  second,  23 ; 
the  succeeding  year,  76;  the  next,  143;  the 
next,  175.  And  thus  the  work  has  advanced 
till  the  present. 

Colportage,  as  an  evangelizing  agency, 
combines  the  two  great  elements  of  power 
God  has  given  his  people — the  living  voice  and 
the  living  press.  By  these,  as  instruments, 
singly  or  united,  all  advancement,  intellect- 
ual, social,  and  religious,  is  made.  The  voice 
is  more  potent  for  the  moment,  the  press 
abiding  for  the  long  years.  The  voice  arouses 
and  instructs  the  worshipping  congregations ; 
the  press  seeks  out  and  warns  the  larger 
masses,  who  rarely  go  into  worshipping  as- 
semblies :  the  voice  thrills  the  thousands 
gathered  upon  some  great  emergency ;  the 
press  reaches  with  a  quieter  power  the  mill- 
ions scattered  over  the  land:  the  voice  is 
limited  in  its  reach;  the  press  ubiquitous  in 
its  range.  The  two  combined — the  voice 
uttering  burning  thoughts,  impelled  by  glow- 


THE    SYSTEM    DESCBIBED.  9 

ing  affections ;  the  press,  driven  by  steam  and 
aided  by  electricity,  multiplying  in  million- 
form  the  truths  to  be  taught — sometimes 
move  our  entire  people,  as  the  forest  is 
swayed  by  the  winds  of  heaven. 

The  combination  of  these  in  colportage  is 
most  felicitous.  A  living  man,  with  heart  of 
love  and  tongue  of  zeal,  and  laden  with  pre- 
cious pungent  printed  truth,  goes  to  his  field 
purposing  to  bring  that  truth  into  direct  con- 
tact with  every  soul.  This  he  does  by  seeing 
the  people  house  by  house,  individual  by  in- 
dividual, conversing  of  Christ  with  each,  and 
so  far  as  possible  and  expedient,  praying  with 
all ;  and  when  his  words  of  instruction,  com- 
fort, warning,  or  exhortation,  have  been  spo- 
ken, his  printed  truth  in  the  form  of  tract  or 
book  remains  to  plead  for  God  when  he  has 
passed  on,  each  family  supplied  with  words 
whereby  they  may  be  saved.  His  words 
wake  attention  and  start  inquiry;  the  books 
fix  the  thought  and  give  the  information ;  the 
personal  interview  conciliates,  the  printed 
volume  instructs ;  the  kindness  of  a  Christian 
visit  wins  the  confidence,  the  pungency  of  the 
tract  touches  the  heart;  the  prayer  in  the 


10  COLPORTAGE. 

Cliristless  cabin  sets  the  children  npon  won- 
dering inquiry ;  the  picture  cards  and  cate- 
chisms placed  in  their  hands  explain  the  duty 
and  blessedness  of  piety ;  the  exhortation  in 
the  social  meeting  leads  Christians  to  ask, 
How  can  we  serve  God  more  faithfully?  the 
volumes  they  secure  suggest  modes  of  active 
good  doing;  the  address  to  the  Sabbath- 
school  awakens  new  thoughts;  the  library 
furnished  is  a  permanent  source  of  interest 
and  instruction. 

Colportage  is  not  book-peddling,  either  in 
aim,  spirit,  or  result.  Its  aim,  to  supply  the 
destitute  with  saving  truth,  and  bring  souls 
to  Christ;  its  spirit,  that  of  the  Master,  self- 
denying  and  benevolent;  its  result,  the  win- 
ning of  many  to  the  Saviour — all  distinguish 
it  broadly  from  mere  book-selling.  Nor  is  it 
simply  a  zealous  running  to  and  fro  in  earnest 
exhortations,  much  of  which  is  forgotten  as 
soon  as  uttered,  for  it  places  permanent  min- 
isters of  truth  in  each  house,  to  urge  and  re- 
iterate the  claims  of  Christ  upon  every  soul. 
It  is  thus  seen  to  be  a  combination  in  happy 
measure  of  the  two  world-moving  instrumen- 
talities— personal  influence  and  printed  truth. 


THE    SYSTEM   DESCRIBED.  11 

It  is  called  missionary  colportage,  because  it 
carries  its  message  to  the  destitute  people,  not 
waiting  for  them  to  come  after  it.  Seeking 
them  out  in  the  by-ways  and  alleys  of  the 
city,  in  the  secluded  nooks  and  glens  of  the 
country,  in  the  recesses  of  the  forests,  in  the 
fastnesses  of  the  mountains,  in  the  wide  prai- 
ries of  the  west,  in  the  broad  savannahs  and 
dark  swamps  of  the  south :  wherever  human 
habitations  are  found  or  human  beings  live, 
there  are  its  footsteps  directed  and  its  bur- 
dens of  truth  borne.  While  it  neglects  none 
who  may  desire  and  welcome  its  visits,  its 
chosen  field  is  the  destitute — those  unreached 
by  other  means.  As  the  advanced  cohort  of 
the  Lord's  workers,  it  sows  the  seed  in  all 
vacant  fields,  bestows  its  culture  upon  all 
waste  places,  as  the  church  of  Christ  should 
ever  work,  assured  that  the  local  organiza- 
tions will,  one  or  another,  gather  the  fruitage. 

The  term  union  missionary  colportage  ex- 
presses the  cooperation  of  evangelical  Chris- 
tians of  all  names,  and  the  catholicity  of  its 
publications  and  laborers,  as  distinguished 
from  denominational  works  and  workers. 

The  fundamental  truths  of  the  gospel  cen- 


12  COLPOIITAGE. 

tring  in  the  cross  and  clustering  about  it, 
are  common  to  the  evangelical  church  in  all 
ages  and  all  lands.  This  "common  salva- 
tion," as  inspiration  terms  it,  this  truth  es- 
sential to  salvation,  this  "faith  of  the  saints" 
in  all  ages,  is  the  principal  element  in  all 
[gospel  preaching,  the  body  of  the  practical 
and  devotional  literature  of  the  church,  and 
the  truth  which  the  Spirit  usually  employs  in 
the  conversion  and  sanctification  of  men. 
This  is  the  truth  which  union  colportage  car- 
ries to  the  people. 

The  colporteurs  must  also  be  of  catholic 
spirit,  aiming  at  the  one  vital  point,  the  union 
of  men  to  Christ  by  faith,  not  unduly  influ- 
encing their  denominational  relations. 

Such  then  is  the  nature  of  the  system  :  as 
colportage,  carrying  the  good  news  to  the 
people;  as  missionary,  seeking  out  the  spe- 
cially needy ;  as  union,  employing  the  central 
doctrines  in  which  the  church  in  general 
unite  —  combining  the  use  of  spoken  and 
printed  truth. 


TRUE  PLACE  OF  THIS  AGENCY.  13 

CHAPTEE  II. 

THE  TRUE  PLACE  OF  THIS  UNION  AGENCY. 

If  the  cliurch  of  Christ  were  a  visible  and 
harmonious  unit,  none  could  doubt  the  place 
and  power  of  a  general  colportage  in  the 
evangelization  of  the  world.  The  entire  body 
of  Christ's  people  throwing  their  energies 
into  such  a  plan  for  reaching  the  masses,  one 
generation  would  scarcely  pass  until  all  in 
civilized  lands  should  hear  the  blessed  name. 
But  we  are  far  from  realizing  that  ideal 
church  in  our  day.  God's  children  are 
grouped  in  many  organizations  under  differ- 
ent names,  often  in  seeming  opposition  to 
the  real  unity ;  and  as  each  branch  of  the  one 
true  church  has  modes  of  Christian  effort, 
boards  of  missions,  education,  and  publica- 
tion, a  serious  question  exists  in  some  minds 
as  to  cooperating  in  a  union  work.  The 
question  assumes  this  shape,  "As  my  own 
branch  of  the  church  is  fully  organized  for 
the  work  of  Christ,  should  I  not  work  only  in 
her  channels?     Is  not  my  highest  obligation 


14  COLPOKTAGE. 

and  first  duty  to  ray  own  denomination? 
Or  may  I,  in  the  present  divided  state  of  the 
visible  church,  wisely  expend  part  of  my  time 
and  means  in  a  union  enterprise  ?" 

While  we  would  not  assume  to  judge  for 
others,  the  following  considerations  may  aid 
in  reaching  a  right  conclusion. 

1.  The  Christian  sustains  a  precious  and 
cherished  relationship  to  his  own  section  of 
the  church.  By  voluntary  covenant  he  has 
entered  into  this  relation,  and  taken  upon 
himself  its  vows.  He  has  associated  with  a 
little  band  of  the  great  family,  because  he  in 
some  respects  is  more  nearly  allied  to  them 
in  doctrines,  modes  of  worship,  tastes,  and 
general  sympathies.  With  these  he  labors  in 
supporting  the  ministry,  maintaining  public, 
social,  and  Sabbath-school  services.  Here 
he  brings  his  children  to  hear  the  gospel; 
here  he  celebrates  the  love  of  Christ  at  His 
table;  and  when  he  dies,  here  his  brethren 
assemble  to  lay  away  his  body  and  mingle 
their  tears  with  those  of  his  weeping  family. 
Clearly  he  owes  high  and  important  duties 
to  this  particular  organization ;  and  if  it  be 
a  part  of  a  general  denomination,  his  obliga- 


TRUE   PLACE   OF   THIS   AGENCY.  15 

tions  extend  to  all  the  members  of  that  sec- 
tion of  the  church,  because  of  his  connection 
with  this  local  organization.  He  is  not  gen- 
erally the  most  devoted  Christian  who  has  no 
denominational  preferences  and  attachments. 
Many  duties  are  best  performed  in  denomi- 
national channels,  as  making  a  public  profes- 
sion of  religion,  organizing  local  churches, 
attendance  regularly  upon  divine  service, 
educating  men  for  the  ministry,  and  whatev- 
er pertains  directly  to  denominational  church 
extension,  either  at  home  or  abroad. 

So  far  there  can  be  no  question.  But  more 
may  be  stated.  When  his  particular  branch 
of  the  church  has  wisely  undertaken  aggres- 
sions upon  the  kingdom  of  darkness  by  new 
organizations,  he  is  bound  to  give  means  and 
time  and  prayer  to  aid  in  this  form  of  effort, 
for  thus  will  his  own  denomination,  which  he 
believes  nearest  the  scriptural  standard,  be 
strengthened  and  extended. 

2.  But  this  Christian  is  also  a  member  of 
the  church  catholic,  that  grand  and  glorious 
body  to  which  the  promises  of  a  universal 
dominion  are  given.  To  this  blood- bought 
church — the  entire  body  of  Christ — he  owes 


16  COLPOBTAGE. 

fraternal  affection,  kindness,  gentleness,  lov- 
ing sympathy,  and  wherever  possible,  cordial 
cooperation.  No  duty  to  a  local  organiza- 
tion or  a  given  denomination  can  free  him 
from  obligation  to  the  church  general.  He 
cannot  owe  an  exclusive  affection  to  a  frac- 
tional part  of  the  one  body.  As  a  brother 
may  not  love  one  brother  in  the  family  to  the 
injury  or  even  the  neglect  of  others,  neither 
may  the  members  of  a  particular  Christian 
household  so  love  their  restricted  circle  as 
to  withhold  enlarged  affection  from  the  whole 
brotherhood.  If,  through  the  imperfection 
of  its  members  in  knowledge  and  holiness, 
this  one  church  now  appears  in  a  great  num- 
ber of  visible  parts,  its  essential  unity  still 
exists.  "  The  unity  of  the  church  does  not 
require,"  says  one,  "absolute  uniformity,  but 
admits  of  many  semblances  of  diversity.  She 
may  exist  in  separated  generations,  in  sepa- 
rate countries,  under  different  names,  and  in 
great  variety  of  age,  education,  taste,  and 
social  position,  in  the  same  congregation, 
without  destroying  her  real  unity,  just  as  the 
human  race  exists  in  different  countries  under 
different  forms  of  government,  and  in  various 


TRUE   PLACE   OF   THIS   AGENCY.  17 

social  conditions,  and  still  is  one.  A  com- 
mon humanity  pervades  the  race,  and  links 
together  successive  generations,  its  tides 
ebbing  and  flowing  in  the  heart  of  every 
man.  So  amid  the  differences  of  true  Chris- 
tians there  beats  in  all  hearts  a  common  love 
for  Christ,"  and,  where  not  repressed  and 
chilled  by  ignorance,  prejudice,  or  bigotry, 
for  each  other.  The  points  in  which  Chris- 
tians agree  are  far  more  vital  than  those  in 
which  they  differ.  They  constitute  one  body, 
are  indwelt  by  one  Spirit,  have  one  hope, 
bow  to  one  Lord,  believe  in  one  creed  as  to 
the  essentials  of  salvation,  have  one  baptism, 
by  which  they  are  united  to  Christ,  and  are 
all  children  of  one  Father.  Eph.  4 : 4-6. 
"  Thus  united  by  a  seven-fold  bond — essen- 
tially a  unit — men  of  different  denominations 
often  bow  together  before  the  same  mercy- 
seat,  and  sing  the  praises  of  the  same  Ee- 
deemer  with  one  heart  in  sweet  and  full  ac- 
cord. Even  widely  separated  generations  of 
Christians  have  fellowship  with  each  other. 
The  words  of  a  golden-tongued  Chrysostom, 
of  a  noble  Augustine,  of  a  pious  Thomas  a 
Kempis,  the  recorded  faith  and  prayers  and 

Colportage.  2 


18  COLPORTAGE. 

hymns  of  the  whole  church  of  the  past,  re- 
fresh the  church  of  the  present.  Yes,  there 
is  a  profound  unity  amid  the  greatest  cir- 
cumstantial diversity  of  true  Christians.  The 
cry  of  the  anxious  soul,  '  Men,  brethren, 
what  shall  we  do?'  will  arouse  the  pious 
effort  of  the  Christian  as  promptly  as  the  cry 
of  the  drowning  man  arouses  the  humane 
efforts  of  him  who  hears  it,  and  this  always 
and  everywhere." 

To  this  church,  the  whole  body  of  Christ, 
each  member  owes  an  unceasing  and  wide- 
reaching  affection,  which  no  local  organiza- 
tion or  single  denomination  may  monopolize ; 
for  is  not  the  body  worthy  of  an  intenser  and 
more  controlling  affection  than  a  single  one 
of  its  members  ? 

3.  The  strength  of  this  claim  will  be  more 
impressively  felt  if  we  note  the  Christian's 
deeply  personal  relation  to  Christ,  the  head 
of  his  body,  the  church  universal.  By  faith 
he  has  become  one  with  Christ,  and  holds 
constant  and  sweet  communion  with  him. 
All  his  duties  arise  primarily  out  of  this  per- 
sonal relation,  and  here  lie  the  motive  and 
mainspring  of  all  his  acts.      He  reads  the 


TRUE  PLACE  OF   THIS  AGENCY.  19 

Bible  because  Christ  speaks  to  liini  in  it;  he 
prays  in  the  closet,  family,  and  social  meet- 
ing, that  he  may  commune  with  Christ;  he 
restrains  evil  passions  and  propensities  for 
Christ's  sake ;  he  trains  his  family  in  scriptu- 
ral knowledge  that  they  may  learn  of  Christ ; 
he  pleads  with  sinners  to  come  to  Christ. 
All  this  he  does  because  he  is  a  Christian. 
As  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  he  preaches 
because  called  of  God  to  this  work,  and  not 
because  he  belongs  to  a  particular  section 
of  the  church.  The  place  in  wdiich  he  pro- 
claims the  message  is  determined  by  his 
denominational  bonds,  the  message  by  Chris- 
tian bonds.  Indeed  there  are  few  acts  of  a 
Christian  minister  which  are  primarily  de- 
nominational. Nine  sermons  of  ten  are  upon 
the  great  themes  common  to  the  true  church, 
and  would  be  as  appropriate  and  acceptable 
in  any  other  evangelical  pulpit  as  in  his  own. 
His  daily  life  and  personal  influence,  the  sum 
of  his  Christian  conduct,  as  that  of  private 
members,  spring  primarily  and  purely  out 
of  his  relation  to  Christ  as  a  redeemed  sin- 
ner, whereas  his  external  denominational  re- 
lationships are  of  far  less  vital  importance. 


20  COLPOIJTAGE. 

Here  tlien  is  the  Christian  sustaining  a 
cherished  relation  to  his  own  denomination, 
and  a  broader  and  profounder  one  to  the 
church  universal,  both  springing  out  of  his 
personal  union  to,  and  identification  with, 
Christ.  From  which  it  would  appear  that 
his  highest  duty  is  directly  and  personally  to 
his  Saviour,  then  to  his  whole  body  the 
church,  and  then  to  that  section  of  the  church 
of  which  he  is  a  member.  In  serving  Christ, 
he  may  neither  allow  an  ^discriminating 
catholicity  to  destroy  local  affection,  nor  a 
denominational  exclusiveness  to  forget  all 
except  his  own  narrow  circle;  but  with  an 
affection  world-wide  and  Christ-like,  he  must 
labor  in  those  channels  in  which,  guided  by 
an  enlightened  and  scriptural  judgment,  he 
may  best  promote  the  glory  of  Christ  and  the 
unity  of  his  visible  church. 

While  a  part  of  his  Christian  effort  should 
be  in  denominational  channels,  shall  it  all  be 
thus  expended?  Is  there  no  broader  field 
where,  joining  hands  with  brethren  of  other 
names,  members  with  him  of  the  one  glorious 
church,  he  may  do  a  grand  work,  which,  in 
his  denominational  capacity,  owing   to  the 


TEUE  PLACE   OF   THIS  AGENCY.  21 

divisions  in  Christ's  body,  lie  cannot  so 
speedily  and  efficiently  perform  ?  May  it  not 
be  that  the  different  denominations,  cluster- 
ing at  the  centres  of  population,  in  efforts  to 
establish  local  churches,  leave  large  numbers 
of  the  outlying  and  interlying  masses  unap- 
plied with  gospel  privileges,  which  some  urrion 
effort  of  good  men  may  reach  ? 

If  it  shall  appear  that  at  least  one-third  of 
our  entire  population  are,  and  must  continue 
for  long  years,  beyond  the  direct  range  of  the 
denominational  organizations,  is  it  noi>at  least 
possible  that  they  may  be  overtaken  more 
speedily  by  some  combined  agency?  If  we 
cannot  immediately  supply  them  with  the  full 
equipment  of  gospel  ordinances,  may  we  not 
carry  to  them  the  Bible  and  the  "  common 
salvation,"  in  which  we  all  agree,  and  press 
upon  them,  wTith  earnest  pleas  from  loving- 
hearts,  the  claims  of  a  common  Saviour  ? 

This  form  of  inquiry  wTe  beg  to  press  upon 
the  attention  of  ministers  and  office-bearers 
in  every  branch  of  the  evangelical  church. 
If  all  work  for  Christ  must  be  done  in  denom- 
inational channels,  then  is  there  no  need  or 
place  for  Bible  Societies,  Tract  Societies,  or 


22  COLPORTAGE. 

uuion  colportage.  It  is  possible  for  Chris- 
tians to  labor  exclusively  in  their  own  section 
of  the  church,  to  confine  their  benefactions, 
sympathies,  and  even  prayers  to  their  own 
denomination,  and  to  refuse  fraternal  inter- 
course with  all  but  the  narrowest  circle ;  or, 
retaining  firmly  their  visible  church  connec- 
tion, their  ministry,  their  sacraments,  their 
creeds  and  catechisms,  their  schools  and  col- 
leges and  missionary  boards,  they  may  yet 
heartily  and  efficiently  cooperate  with  breth- 
ren of  other  names  in  a  union  effort  to  reach 
speedily  with  the  offer  of  salvation  the  out- 
lying and  perishing  masses.  Which  plan 
they  should  pursue  is  a  question  of  vital 
import. 

If  it  shall  appear  that  such  a  cooperative 
work  as  union  missionary  colportage  comes  to 
the  captious  and  the  unbelieving  with  special 
powrer,  disarming  them  of  prejudice  and  win- 
ning their  confidence  by  a  sole  desire  to  bring 
them  to  a  loving  Saviour,  this  will  constitute 
an  urgent  reason  for  enlisting  in  its  support. 

Further,  if  the  heart  of  the  church  univer- 
sal has  ever  sought  for  some  public  expres- 
sion of  its  oneness,  has  striven  after  it  with  a 


TRUE  PLACE   OF   THIS  AGENCY.  23 

desire  so  ardent  as  almost  to  accept  as  scrip- 
tural the  forced  and  unnatural  semblance  of 
unity  seen  in  the  Romish  system,  may  there 
not  be  some  organizations,  embracing  thou- 
sands of  the  good  men  of  every  evangelical 
name,  who  will  give,  in  their  union  work  for 
Christ,  an  impressive  exhibition  of  the  true 
spiritual  oneness  of  the  body  of  Christ — a 
union  of  faith  in  the  essential  truths,  a  union 
of  affection  in  Christian  offices,  a  union  of 
effort  in  works  of  evangelization  ? 

Such  an  expression  of  Christian  unity — 
unity  in  doctrine,  in  affection,  in  labor — is 
the  system  of  union  missionary  colportage  as 
originated  and  prosecuted  by  the  American 
Tract  Society.  During  twenty-five  years, 
above  four  thousand  laborers  of  various  de- 
nominations have  been  engaged  in  this  blessed 
cooperation,  have  made  millions  of  Christian 
visits  to  the  needy,  speaking  only  of  salvation 
through  the  Redeemer,  and  have  circulated 
many  millions  of  books  and  tracts,  all  con- 
taining the  admitted  truths  of  the  "  common 
salvation."  And  to  aid  in  carrying  forward 
this  work,  unnumbered  men  and  women  have 
contributed    their  means,    sympathies,    and 


24  COLPOItTAGE. 

prayers.  May  it  not  well  be  called  the  prac- 
tical evangelical  alliance  for  the  conversion  of 
the  unreached  masses  ? 

That  there  is  urgent  need  for  such  coopera- 
tive work,  that  it  can  be  done  without  infring- 
ing upon  the  prerogatives  of  any  denomina- 
tion, and  that  it  may  be  performed  to  the 
great  advantage  of  the,  true  church  of  our 
Lord,  we  think  may  be  conclusively  shown. 


NEED    OF    SUCH    AN    AGENCY.  25 

CHAPTEE    III. 

THE  NEED  OF  SUCH  AN  AGENCY. 

A  combination  of  causes  creates  a  necessity 
for  some  such  agency.  The  wide  expanse  of 
our  country  opening  new  fields  for  emigration 
and  enterprise ;  the  sudden  development  of 
new  forms  of  labor  and  wealth,  as  seen  in  the 
mining  and  oil  regions  ;  the  inflow  weekly  of 
thousands  from  other  countries  ;  the  abound- 
ing facilities  for  travel  in  all  directions  ;  and 
the  general  prosperity  of  all  classes,  with  im- 
mense increase  of  national  wealth,  create  and 
foster  a  ceaseless  migration  of  our  people. 
Thousands  are  removing  from  old  homes  to 
new,  and  this  through  all  the  years.  The 
stream  flowing  Westward  is  vast  and  resist- 
less, and  as  it  approaches  the  great  basin, 
spreads  out  like  the.  channels  of  the  Nile  or 
the  Mississippi,  pouring  its  multitudes  by 
millions  into  new  and  diverse  localities.  In 
addition,  war  has  recently  desolated  one- 
third  of  our  states,  breaking  up  their  system 
of  labor,  sweeping  away  their  wealth,  and 


26  COLPORTAGE. 

creating  millions  of  freemen  without  homes 
or  an  assured  resting-place. 

As  the  result  of  these  and  like  causes, 
above  one-third  of  our  population  are  desti- 
tute of  the  means  of  grace  as  furnished  in 
church  organizations  ;  in  some  places  one- 
fourth,  in  others  one-third,  in  still  others 
more  than  the  half  have  no  accessible  house 
of  evangelical  worship.  And  herein  lies  the 
need  of  a  union  colportage  which  shall  be 
able,  adapting  itself  to  the  actual  destitu- 
tions in  any  locality,  to  reach  every  soul  with 
the  word  of  life. 

If  the  church  were  a  single  organization, 
holding  her  power  in  hand  for  every  exi- 
gency, fired  with  a  great  love  for  souls,  and 
ready  to  project  a  new  congregation  wher- 
ever a  new  cluster  of  houses  appeared,  she 
might  overtake  and  supply  these  destitutions 
by  a  united  effort.  As  now  constituted,  she 
attempts  to  push  out  into  the  waste  places — 
a  half-dozen  systems  of  denominational  or- 
ganizations, interlacing  and  overlapping  each 
other  in  village,  and  hamlet,  and  neighbor- 
hood, where  there  is  scarce  material  enough 
for  one ;  hence  great  numbers  in  the  more 


N*EED   OF    SUCH    AN    AGENCY.  27 

sparsely  settled  regions  must  be  unreached. 
This  does  not  imply  want  of  energy  in  the 
different  sections  of  the  church,  but  loss  of 
power  from  want  of  union. 

It  seems  impossible  for  those  who  have 
not  explored  portions  of  the  country  in  order 
to  learn  the  facts,  to  believe  the  extent  of  this 
destitution,  and  that  it  exists,  in  measure, 
everywhere.  Colportage,  as  an  exploring 
agency,  has,  by  its  laborers  running  to  and 
fro  for  twenty-five  years,  accumulated  a  mass 
of  testimony  upon  this  point  from  which  there 
is  no  escape — the  destitution  is  vast,  ubiqui- 
tous, fearful.  Cases  of  want  found  and  met 
with  blessed  results  crowd  upon  us. 

In  the  New  England  states  we  see  common 
schools,  Sabbath-schools,  churches,  and  an 
intelligent,  educated  people,  where  we  might 
not  expect  to  find  much  need  of  such  mis- 
sionary labor.  Nowhere  in  our  land,  per- 
haps, is  there  such  a  general  supply  of  gos- 
pel ordinances ;  and  yet  even  here  have  been 
found  very  many  unreached  by  the  means  of 
grace.  A  clerical  colporteur,  who  has  laboi- 
ed  for  two  years  in  Maine  and  northern  New 
Hampshire,  says,  "I-  find   many   dark   and 


2S  .COLPORTAGE. 

neglected  corners,  where  the  families  are 
reached  by  no  other  agency.  They  have  no 
Sabbath-school,  attend  no  religions  meeting, 
are  not  known  by  the  resident  ministers,  each 
supposing  they  fall  within  the  care  of  others. 
They  themselves  are  restrained  by  unreason- 
able prejudices,  chained  down  by  poverty,  or 
stupefied  by  unbelief.  Many  towns  have 
these  dark  borders,  into  wrhich  the  rays  of 
religious  truth  seldom  shine.  In  one  town  I 
found  forty  families  without  any  religious 
book,  several  without  the  Bible,  though  it 
contained  three  evangelical  churches."  An- 
other in  a  different  portion  of  New  England 
avers  of  his  field,  "  Not  more  than  one-fourth 
of  the  population  attend  upon  preaching  of 
any  kind.  Many  professed  Christians  seem 
more  devoted  to  the  service  of  the  world  than 
of  Christ.  Many  towns  are  destitute  of  the 
stated  means  of  grace ;  intemperance  and 
kindred  sins  prevail  to  an  alarming  extent, 
and  Christian  home-training  is  greatly  neg- 
lected." "With  modifications,  this  is  true  of 
portions  of  every  New  England  state. 

Passing   to  New  York,  we  find  the  same 
truth  constantly  presented,  the  result  of  care- 


NEED    OF    SUCH    AN    AGENCY.  29 

ful  examination.  One  colporteur  testifies : 
"  Nearly  or  quite  one-third  of  the  people  on 
my  field  are  unreached  by  ministers,  and 
unvisited  by  Christian  laymen,  and  unless 
sought  out  by  the  colporteur,  must  live  and 
die  unwarned  and  uncared  for."  Another 
avers:  "The  voluntary  destitution  of  many 
is  amazing.  Here  is  a  family,  living  near  a 
large  village  where  are  Bibles,  and  good 
books,  and  a  church,  who  had  not  possessed 
a  Bible  for  nineteen  years,  nor  been  to  a 
religious  meeting  for  several  years.  Here  is 
another,  father,  mother,  and  seven  children. 
He  has  kept  house  eleven  years  without  a 
Bible,  and  in  neglect  of  the  sanctuary." 
Still  another  speaks  of  a  mother  and  three 
children,  with  whom  he  prayed.  "  On  rising 
from  my  knees,  I  found  them  in  tears,  the 
mother  saying,  by  way  of  apology,  they 
never  heard  any  one  pray  before,  and  knew 
not  what  it  meant.  And  that  family  lived 
within  the  sound  of  church  bells,  though  she 
admitted  they  had  not  been  to  church  in 
nine  years." 

This  truth  becomes  painfully  impressive  as 
we  pass  into  the  Middle  states,  increasingly 


30  COLTORTAGE. 

so  the  farther  we  go,  following  the  onrushing 
of  population.  "In  one  of  these  counties 
more  than  half  the  territory  is  destitute  of  a 
religious  teacher."  "  One  lady  told  me  she 
had  not  been  to  meeting  for  six  years,  anoth- 
er for  two,  another  for  eight."  "In  a  dis- 
trict twenty-four  miles  long  and  fifteen, 
broad,  there  is  neither  stated  preaching  nor 
Sabbath-school."  "In  a  village  of  twelve 
hundred  souls,  not  above  one-fourth  attend 
the  sanctuary." 

Facts  from  the  Western  states  are  still 
more  distressing.  A  pastor  in  Michigan 
gives  this  fact :  "  There  are  2,200  souls  in  this 
new  county,  300  of  whom  are  connected  with 
the  churches,  400  more  may  occasionally 
attend  preaching,  leaving  1,500  without  any 
means  of  grace."  Over  scores  of  counties  of 
the  vast  Northwest  equal  destitutions  exist. 
The  evidence  is  overwhelming. 

Turning  our  eyes  Southward,  with  a  pity- 
ing glance,  over  eleven  states  lately  swept  by 
mighty  armies,  filled  with  widows  and  or- 
phans, impoverished  by  loss  of  men,  material, 
and  labor  ;  with  churches  destroyed,  congre- 
gations  scattered,    schools   broken  up,   and 


NEED    OF  SUCH   AN   AGENCY.  31 

struggling  under  accumulated  evils,  can  we 
expect  any  thing  better  than  widespread  and 
most  fearful  destitutions  ?  The  seven  follow- 
ing sentences,  from  as  many  different  letters, 
present  a  sad  view  :  "  Nearly  half  the  families 
1  visited  were  destitute  of  religious  reading." 
"  One  village  has  neither  church  nor  school- 
house  within  three  miles,  and  there  is  but 
one  professor  of  religion  in  it."  "I  have 
been  in  many  places  where  the  gospel  trum- 
pet was  never  sounded,  nor  a  prayer  ever 
heard  by  many  of  the  young."  "  Many  coun- 
ties in  this  state  are  without  a  church,  min- 
ister, Sabbath-school,  or  common-school." 
"Unless  the  colporteur  take  good  books  to 
these  families  and  talk  to  them  of  Jesus, 
many  will  grow  up  and  never  hear  His 
name."  "The  people  have  no  religious 
books,  no  Bibles,  no  preaching;  colportage 
alone  will  reach  them."  "Not  more  than 
one-third  of  the  people  are  supplied  with 
regular  preaching,  and  not  more  than  one- 
third  of  these  attend." 

A  colporteur  in  Tennessee  says  :  "  My  field 
embraces  two  counties,  with  a  population  of 
twenty  thousand  souls,  who,  even  before  the 


32  COLPORTAGE. 

war,  were  without  a  bookstore,  and  had  but 
seven  educated  ministers.  Multitudes  hear 
the  gospel  but  once  a  month,  and  many 
never.  I  found  seven  families  on  one  moun- 
tain, thirty  upon  another,  and  twenty-seven 
upon  a  third,  entirely  separated  from  all  good 
influences."  A  minister  of  high  standing 
from  another  point  writes :  "  Since  the  war, 
religion  and  morals  have  fallen  into  a  deplor- 
able condition;  churches  are  without  pas- 
tors, houses  of  worship  wholly  destroyed  or 
unused.  God  is  greatly  forgotten ;  his  name 
much  profaned.  "Wrath  and  malice,  bitter- 
ness and  revenge,  lurk  and  brood  in  many 
hearts  that  are  estranged  from  each  other. 
Yice  and  crime  are  prevalent.  What  but 
the  saving  grace  of  God  can  recover  us  from 
this  unhappy  state  ?" 

A  minister  in  Texas,  perhaps  better  ac- 
quainted than  any  other  man  with  the  reli- 
gious condition  of  its  people,  after  giving  a 
sad  picture  of  the  wants  of  the  freedmen  and 
the  poor  white  people,  makes  the  following 
startling  statement :  "  Besides  Americans, 
there  are  fifty  thousand  Germans  in  the 
state,   of  whom   five   thousand  are  Roman- 


NEED    OF    SUCH    AN    AGENCY.  33 

catholics.  Not  above  two  thousand  of  this 
number  attend  regularly  upon  the  gospel 
ministry,  leaving  forty-eight  thousand  souls 
which,  if  not  reached  through  the  faithful  col- 
porteur, may  be  left  to  perish."  Such  is  the 
unsolicited  testimony  of  a  trustworthy  man. 

The  destitutions  throughout  the  entire 
Southern  states,  with  few  exceptions,  are  fear- 
ful beyond  description,  as  the  result  in  part 
of  the  protracted  and  desolating  strife.  Inclu- 
ding the  entire  population,  we  cannot  hope 
that  one  half  of  them  have  any  adequate 
gospel  privileges.  Millions  upon  millions  are 
perishing  now  for  want  of  the  bread  of  life, 
and  must  perish  eternally  unless  the  true 
church  of  God,  North  and  South,  shall  work 
with  a  sterner  purpose  and  a  more  flaming 
zeal  than  she  has  ever  yet  done. 

But  why  give  isolated  examples  of  the 
need  ?  The  general  result  of  facts  which 
have  been  accumulated  during  many  years, 
and  by  four  thousand  laborers,  in  this  field 
of  effort,  confirmed  by  the  investigations  of 
other  societies  and  individuals,  is  that  more 
than  one-third  of  our  entire  population  are  un- 
reached by  the  organized  churches. 

Col  portage.  3 


34  COLPORTAGE. 

Is  tliere  not,  then,  an  imperative  call  for 
some  agency  with  capabilities  equal  to  the 
demand,  and  adaptations  suited  to  the  exi- 
gency? Some  system  so  extensive  as  to 
reach  the  ten  millions  of  our  population  now 
unreached  by  the  organized  churches ;  so  ver- 
satile as  to  meet  each  case  ;  so  evangelical  as 
to  present  saving  truth ;  so  earnest,  prayerful, 
persevering,  and  believing,  as  to  secure  the 
blessing  of  God? 


SPECIAL   ADAPTATION.  35 

CHAPTER  IY. 

SPECIAL  ADAPTATION.    . 

Has  Union  Missionary  Colportage  any 
special  aptitude  to  meet  this  want  ? 

Denominational  colportage  is  clearly  adap- 
ted to  meet  the  wants  of  its  own  people.  A 
given  branch  of  the  visible  church,  having 
adopted  a  system  of  doctrine  and  mode  of 
worship  which  it  believes  most  nearly  con- 
formed to  the  teachings  of  the  Bible,  desires 
to  use  the  press  in  aid  of  the  ministry,  for* 
indoctrinating  all  its  members  and  families 
in  the  truths  believed  and  forms  of  worship 
practised.  To  accomplish  this  it  must  first 
create  a  denominational  literature  adapted  to 
all  classes  of  its  people,  and  this  in  great  va- 
riety of  form  to  meet  the  varying  shades  of 
thought,  taste,  and  mental  development,  of 
its  congregations. 

This  accomplished,  it  remains  to  convey 
this  truth  to  the  families  of  its  people,  and 
press  it  upon  their  attention  and  actual  ac- 
ceptance by  sale  or  gift.     In  the  pressure  of 


36  COLPOItTAGE. 

exhausting  labor  now  exacted  of  the  minis- 
try, it  should  not  be  asked  of  them  to  do  this 
needed  work  ;  nor  should  we  wait  for  the 
people  to  come  for  these  publications.  Here 
denominational  colportage  stands  ready  for 
the  toil.  Let  energetic  men,  who  feel  it  im- 
portant to  train  up  the  churches  in  their  be- 
lief and  practice,  be  chosen  and  freighted 
with  the  volumes  and  tracts  prepared,  and 
sent  into  all  the  local  organizations  of  that 
denomination.  Let  the  pastor  furnish  the 
names  and  residences  of  all  the  membership, 
and  let  the  poorest  and  most  ignorant  be 
.sought  and  supplied  freely  with  this  denom- 
inational and  other  literature,  and  let  this 
system  be  carried  on  from  year  to  year,  and 
a  vast  increase  of  intelligent  and  scripturally 
indoctrinated  church  membership  may  be 
expected  as  the  result.  The  system  can  be 
extended  as  the  denomination  enlarges,  and 
adapted  to  the  wants'  of  that  branch  of  the 
church.  So  might  each  denomination  pre- 
pare and  circulate  a  literature  suited  to 
its  distinguishing  doctrines,  and  thus  every 
branch  of  the  evangelical  church  train  its 
own  families. 


SPECIAL   ADAPTATION.  37 

But  in  the  meantime,  the  years — ages,  it 
may  be — before  this  shall  come,  how  shall 
the  millions  inter  lying  and  outlying  beyond 
the  influence  of  the  evangelical  denomina- 
tions be  visited  and  supplied  with  the  central 
truths  in  which  they  all  agree  ?  the  soul-sav- 
ing truths  without  which  they  must  be  lost  ? 
the  foundation  truths  which,  accepted,  will 
fit  them  for  membership  in  any  one  of  the 
denominations  ? 

That  Union  Colportage  has  the  most  feli- 
citous adaptation  to  this  unreached  popula- 
tion, is  readily  seen.  A  literature  embodying 
the  essential  doctrines,  and  avoiding  minor 
controverted  points,  has  been  in  the  course 
of  preparation  for  forty  years.  It  has  accom- 
plished the  vast  accumulation  of  three  thou- 
sand five  hundred  distinct  books,  from  the 
entire  Bible  with  references,  maps,  notes,  and 
instructions,  and  numerous  Bible  helps,  down 
to  the  picture  card  and  the  infant  catechism, 
covering  a  wide  field  of  practical,  devotional, 
revival,  biographical,  historical,  and  critical 
writings ;  each  of  which  works  is,  as  far  as 
possible,  permeated  and  suffused  with  the 
Spirit,  and  love,  and  holiness  of  Christ ;  all 


38  COLPORTAGE. 

variations,  rich,  and  sweet,  and  soul-moving, 
upon  the  one  key-note,  "Christ,  and  him  cru- 
cified." 

Here,  then,  is  the  first  requisite  for  union 
colportage — the  stores  of  generally-admitted 
truth.  Can  the  second  be  secured?  Can 
devoted  Christian  men  be  found  in  the  differ- 
ent denominations,  of  scriptural  knowledge, 
irreproachable  character,  burning  zeal,  un- 
questioned prudence,  untiring  perseverance, 
and  Christlike  self-sacrifice,  who,  while  re- 
taining their  own  denominational  preferences, 
will  yet  consent  to  hold  these  in  abeyance, 
urging  only  the  "common  salvation,"  as  they 
go  forth  among  the  gospel  neglecters  ?  To 
this  question  the  experience  of  twenty-five 
years,  and  the  actual  employment  of  above 
four  thousand  men  by  the  American  Tract 
Society,  give  the  decisive  answer.  In  every 
denomination  of  the  true  Israel  such  men 
have  been,  will  be  found. 

Freight  these  men  with  this  literature,  and 
bid  them,  go  forth  into  the  highways  and 
hedges  of  our  entire  country,  to  the  one-third 
of  the  people  now  unreached,  and  what  favor 
will  they  meet  ? 


SPECIAL   ADAPTATION.  39 

The  pastor  welcomes  union  colportage  as 
an  illustration  of  Christian  zeal  which  he 
longs  to  see  kindled  among  his  own  people ; 
as  an  aid  to  him  in  the  prayer-meeting  and 
the  revival;  as  a  faithful  visitor  to  all  the 
careless  gospel  neglecters  scattered  among 
his  people,  and  upon  the  outskirts  of  his 
congregation ;  as  the  tireless  seeker  out  of 
the  children  attending  no  Sabbath-school; 
in  a  word,  to  discover  and  report  gospel  de- 
linquents, and  if  possible,  to  lead  all  to  some 
church  of  Christ.  Christian  parents  welcome 
him  for  the  blessed  effects  of  his  visits  upon 
their  children  and  households.  The  souls 
burdened  on  account  of  sin,  many  of  whom 
are  found  in  all  religious  communities,  wel- 
come him  because  he  so  freely  speaks  to  them 
of  their  concealed  griefs,  and  so  plainly  and 
affectionately  points  them  to  the  great  Phy- 
sician. The  careless  listen  to  his  exhorta- 
tions, for  they  glow  .with  the  fervor  of  an 
unselfish  consecration.  The  captious  and 
skeptical,  who  magnify  the  defects  of  Chris- 
tians and  their  want  of  agreement  among 
themselves  into  an  unanswerable  argument 
against  Christianity ;  who  insist,  in  exagger- 


40  COLrOETAGE. 

ated  phrase,  that  the  church  is  broken  Tip 
into  a  hundred  fragments,  each  at  war  with 
every  other,  and  make  this  their  great  stum- 
bling-block— even  these  are  compelled  to  ad- 
mit that  union  colportage  is  an  illustration  of 
a  united  church,  laboring  solely  to  save  men 
without  regard  to  denominational  aggran- 
dizement. So  that  these  laborers  are  met 
everywhere  and  among  all  classes,  either  with 
a  joyful  welcome,  or  a  willing  toleration, 
which  gives  them  a  vast  power  for  good. 

It  may  be  well  to  note  this  special  adapta- 
tion of  union  colportage  in  several  particu- 
lars; as  first, 

.  To  the  present  divided  state  of  the  church. 
Upon  this  point  it  is  difficult  to  present  the 
testimony  before  us  without  a  liability  of  be- 
ing understood  as  depreciating  denomina- 
tional efforts.  Nothing  is  farther  from  our 
purpose ;  the  entire  aim  being  to  show  the 
special  adaptation  of  .this  agency  to  this 
class,  not  its  superiority  to  denominational 
effort,  where  there  is  material  for  a  church 
organization. 

One  writer  says,  "  Your  publications,  free 
from  the  peculiarities  which  mark  a  sect,  are 


SPECIAL    ADAPTATION.  41 

received  with  almost  universal  favor."  An- 
other :  "  My  field  contains  at  least  seventeen 
denominations.  I  can,  with  good  faith,  ap- 
proach them  all,  and  give  them  just  what  suits 
them,  without  being  blamed  for  trying  to 
build  up  any  one.  I  am  welcomed  by  nearly 
all,  and  have  aided  many  in  revival  meetings, 
pointing  sinners  to  the  Lamb  of  God,  and 
furnishing  better  printed  instructions  than 
my  poor  words.  "When  asked  what  denom- 
ination my  books  belong  to,  I  answer,  'To  all 
and  for  all ;  just  the  books  God  blesses  for 
leading  sinners  to  him,  and  building  up  be- 
lievers in  faith.' " 

Another  testifies  :  "  I  am  hailed  as  coming 
from  a  national  institution,  and  greeted  as 
laboring  for  the  good  of  all,  interested  only 
in  their  spiritual  welfare."  Another:  "As 
my  work  is  for  everybody  in  need  and  every- 
where, and  not  for  any  particular  order  of 
Christians,  I  am  welcomed  by  good  people, 
and  rarely  repelled  by  any.  Joining  the  peo- 
ple in  their  prayer-meetings,  as  I  constantly 
do,  talking  and  praying  as  I  would  do  if  a 
member  of  their  own  church,  helps  them  to 
feel  more  brotherly  to  other  denominations. 


42  COLPORTAGE. 

How  many  crooked,  fault-finding  professors 
are  silenced  by  a  kind  talk  in  the  spirit  of 
Christ."  Another  says :  "I  am  often  told 
these  are  the  publications  which  should  be 
circulated  among  all  classes;  they  will  do 
good  to  all,  and  harm  to  none.  A  faithful 
and  highly-esteemed  minister  said  to  me,  '  If 
I  were  going  out  as  a  colporteur,  I  would  go 
from  3Tour  Society,  as  I  could  thus,  free  from 
captious  objection,  speak  to  any  one  of 
Christ ;'  and  so  I  find  it  everywhere." 

Such  is  the  testimony  of  hundreds  of  col- 
porteurs, and  in  all  states  of  the  Union ;  and 
this  is  just  what  we  should  expect,  human 
nature  being  what  it  is.  The  excuse  of  the 
gospel  neglecter,  that  Christians  do  not  agree 
among  themselves,  is  not  a  good  one,  and 
usually  is  a  mere  subterfuge ;  still  it  is  univer- 
sal, and  with  the  unregenerate  is,  perhaps, 
one  of  the  most  potent.  He  has  repeated  it 
over  and  over  until  he  believes  in  its  validity, 
and  by  a  minister  of  a  given  denomination  it 
is,  he  thinks,  unanswerable.  But  a  plain, 
earnest  colporteur  presses  upon  him  the 
claims  of  Christ  in  what  the  objector  sees  is 
an  unselfish  wish  for  his  salvation,  without 


SPECIAL   ADAPTATION.  43 

regard  to  any  particular  church  relation;  by 
his  life  of  self-sacrifices  he  demonstrates  that 
he  seeks  the  souls  of  men ;  this  disarms  op- 
position, and  the  objecter  often  yields. 

Adaptation  to  the  common  mind.  The  three 
thousand  five  hundred  different  publications 
prepared  by  the  Society  are  nearly  all  adapt- 
ed to  the  comprehension  of  the  common 
people,  the  masses  of  poorly  educated  and 
hard  working  ones,  who  constitute  so  large  a 
portion  of  our  population.  To  furnish  these 
with  the  marrow  of  the  gospel  in  cheap  edi- 
tions, in  plain  language,  and  with  striking 
illustrations,  has  been  a  cherished  object  of 
the  Society.  If  men  of  large  intellectual  re- 
sources and  ambitious  aspirings  after  great- 
ness find  little  to  interest  them  in  these  pub- 
lications, the  godly  minister,  laboring  to  win 
souls  to  the  Saviour,  turns  to  them  as  the 
richest  storehouse  of  saving  truth,  aiding  him 
in  presenting  the  gospel  to  the  comprehen- 
sion of  the  untrained  masses. 

Colportage  usually  chooses  its  laborers 
from  the  ranks  of  the  common  people,  select- 
ing those  who,  by  years  of  experience  in  the 
Christian   life,   by   special   devotion   to   the 


44  COLPORTAGE. 

cause  of  the  Master,  by  native  talent  for  con- 
versation, and  acquired  readiness  in  prayer, 
are  fitted  for  commending  to  the  people  the 
religion  they  have  experienced ;  men  inured 
to  hardness  as  good  soldiers,  able  to  endure 
the  toils,  the  coarse  fare,  the  poor  lodgings, 
the  rough  habits  of  too  many  in  our  land; 
men  who  can  therefore  place  themselves  in 
sympathy  with  the  common  people,  win  their 
confidence,  interest  their  minds,  sympathize 
in  their  lot,  and  lead  them  to  higher  aspira- 
tions. The  entire  history  of  the  work  has 
shown  its  adaptation  to  this  result. 

A  faithful  Christian  pastor  who  has  devo- 
ted thirty-five  years  to  evangelizing  efforts  in 
the  West,'  acting  as  a  voluntary  colporteur 
over  wide  fields  before  the  work  had  been 
reduced  to  a  system,  and  ever  since,  after 
giving  illustrations  of  its  power  in  the  con- 
version of  souls,  as  witnessed  by  him,  adds 
these  words  :  "  I  admire  this  work  as  without 
an  equal  in  one  aspect — that  its  agencies  are 
so  happily  adapted  to  the  common  mind. 
We  do  not  estimate  aright  the  power  of 
strong,  striking,  self-sealing  thoughts  on 
minds  unused  to  think,  but  which  to  the  in- 


SPECIAL   ADAPTATION.  45 

telligent  are  familiar  as  the  alphabet.  This 
is  what  gave  such  a  charm  to  the  teachings 
of  Jesus.  He  originated  bold  thoughts,  de- 
livered them  in  simple  language,  and  gather- 
ed his  pictures  from  scenes  which-  were  to  his 
countrymen  familiar  as  household  words ;  and 
we  are  not  surprised  that  the  common  people 
heard  him  gladly,  followed  him  into  the  des- 
ert and  around  the  lake,  wondering  at  the 
gracious  words  he  uttered." 

The  value  of  any  system  adapted  to  the 
common  people  will  be  appreciated  when  we 
consider  that  four-fifths  or  more  of  our  desti- 
tute come  under  this  appellation. 

Adaptation  to  the  very  poor  and  destitute. 
Any  system  which  will  accomplish  what  is 
needed  in  our  country  to-day  must  have  a 
penetrating  power  to  reach  the  poorest,  most 
secluded,  most  destitute.  Churches  will  be 
organized  by  one  or  another  denomination 
wherever  villages,  or  even  thickly-settled 
neighborhoods  are  found;  but  many  thou- 
sands of  our  people  have  wandered  far  from 
the  centres  of  population,  many  live  isolated, 
and  not  a  few  of  these  are  both  ignorant  and 
poor.   To  these  the  gospel  should  be  preach- 


46  COLPORTAGE. 

ed — must  be,  if  we  obey  the  command  of  our 
risen  Lord.  But  thousands  of  these  will 
pass  into  eternity  unwarned,  unless  an  itine- 
rant and  all-pervasive  agency  shall  seek  them 
out  in  their  isolation,  and  supply  their  cry- 
ing wants.  This,  missionary  colportage  is 
exactly  adapted  to  accomplish.  None  too 
poor  to  be  visited,  and  prayed  with,  and  ex- 
horted to  higher  aspirations;  none  so  desti- 
tute that  they  cannot  be  supplied.  Of  the 
mountainous  parts  of  New  Jersey,  a  colpor- 
teur writes:  "Many  families  cannot  attend 
any  church,  and  they  are  destitute  of  all  sav- 
ing influences.  They  are  perishing  for  want 
of  spiritual  food.  Oh  that  Christians  could 
be  aroused  to  the  importance  of  seeking  and 
saving  these  dying  ones." 

In  the  forests  of  New  York,  a  laborer  tes- 
tifies :  "I  left  my  horse,  and  went  a  few  miles 
into  the  woods  to  find  some  families  remote 
from  gospel  means.  I  was  depressed  in 
spirit  in  view  of  the  character  which  they 
were  reputed  to  have,  and  knelt  by  a  log  and 
committed  my  way  to  my  blessed  Saviour. 
The  first  man  I  found  was  without  love  to 
Christ.     He  promised  that  his  wife  should 


SPECIAL  ADAPTATION.  47 

read  to  him  the  little  books  I  gave — he  could 
not  read.  I  went  to  another  clearing,  and 
found  a  number  of  men  at  work.  They  were 
all  strangers  to  grace.  One  of  them  kindly 
went  with  me  through  the  brush  to  find  a 
path  to  another  house.  Of  nine  families  thus 
found  that  day,  most  of  them  without  the 
Bible  or  any  good  book,  I  conversed  and 
prayed  with  seven.  Several  said  no  one  had 
ever  before  talked  to  them  about  the  welfare 
of  their  souls.  Another  day  I  sought  out 
eight  poor  families,  conversed  on  personal 
religion  with  five  of  them.  Four  of  them  had 
not  a  scrap  of  religious  reading;  five  were 
without  the  Bible.  I  supplied  them  all.  Still 
another  tour  revealed  ten  families  utterly 
destitute  of  religion;  among  them,  a  woman 
with  four  ragged  children,  in  the  deejDest  pov- 
erty, who  yet,  when  I  spoke  of  the  love  of 
Christ,  burst  into  tears,  and  said  she  often 
felt  the  need  of  a  new  heart,  that  she  might 
love  him.  These  poor  people  must  be  sought 
out,  or  they  will  perish." 

A  clerical  colporteur,  laboring  in  Delaware, 
was  impressed  with  the  numbers  of  utterly 
desolate  ones  who  were  unreached  by  the  reg- 


48  COLrORTAGE. 

ular  means  of  grace,  and  among  many  cases 
met  almost  daily,  he  cites  this :  "  I  found  a 
miserably  poor  widow  with  five  children,  the 
eldest  thirteen  years  of  age,  living  in  a  log 
hut,  the  door  without  hinges,  no  glass  in  the 
window,  the  light  and  wind  coming  in  be- 
tween the  logs,  the  roof  leaking,  and  but  one 
bed  in  which  she  and  her  five  children  slept — 
a  picture  of  deepest  poverty.  Her  eyes  filled 
with  tears  as  she  spoke  of  her  trials.  As 
neither  she  nor  the  children  could  read, 
except  the  eldest  a  very  little,  I  gathered 
them  about  me,  and  told  them  of  the  way  of 
life,  and  left  some  simple  stories  which  the 
child  might  spell  out,  and  perhaps  under- 
stand. Who  will  carry  the  bread  of  life  to 
these  desolate  ones?" 

A  godly  worker  in  Virginia  gives  even  a 
sadder  view  of  the  poor  on  his  field :  "  One 
lady,  a  Christian,  once  rich,  wept  bitterly 
when  I  called,  saying, '  My  children  are  grow- 
ing up  without  a  knowledge  of  Christ.  We 
have  no  preaching,  and  I  have  no  means  to 
purchase  good  books.'"  He  adds:  "There 
are  over  two  hundred  families  in  this  county 
without  Bible,  Testament,  or  religious  book, 


SPECIAL   ADAPTATION.  49 

and  without  means  to  purchase.  There  are 
many  widows  and  orphans  who  must  have 
something  to  point  them  to  the  Lamb  of 
God ;  and  the  colporteur  is  the  only  one  who 
can  meet  their  wants  just  now,  as  many  of 
them  cannot  afford  sufficient  -clothing  to  ap- 
pear in  a  congregation,  and  all  the  means  of 
grace  they  can  enjoy  must  be  carried  to  their 
houses." 

To  such  cases  as  these,  and  they  are  fear- 
fully numerous,  colportage  goes  as  an  angel 
of  mercy,  with  light,  and  love,  and  sweet 
comfort,  in  its  message.  To  its  efficiency,  a 
minister  testifies :  "  From  what  my  eyes  have 
seen,  my  ears  have  heard,  my  heart  has  felt, 
I  do  not  hesitate  to  regard  the  system  of 
catholic  colportage  as  the  cheapest  and  best 
method  of  which  I  have  any  knowledge,  to 
reach,  elevate,  and  evangelize,  the  destitute 
millions,  found  among  the  mountains,  in  the 
wide  valleys,  and  in  the  ten  thousand  waste 
places  of  our  land." 

Adaptation  to  the  desolate,  sick,  and  dying. 
Wearisome  days,  sleepless  nights,  and  pro- 
tracted and  painful  suffering,  are  allotted  to 
some  of  God's  trusting  and  patient  children ; 

Colportage.  4 


50  COLPOETAGE. 

but  when  surrounded  by  kind  friends,  attend- 
ed by  skilful  physicians,  and  comforted  by 
the  counsels  and  prayers  of  godly  pastors, 
the  sick  chamber  often  becomes  a  place  of 
heavenly  joy.  And  when  death  comes  to 
such  an  abode,  he  seems  robbed  of  his  ter- 
rors, and  a  welcome  messenger  to  take  the 
saint  home.  '  But  how  few  of  earth's  myriads 
suffer  and  die  thus!  How  many  without 
hope,  and  without  sympathy,  pass  away  into 
the  dark  unknown!  No  sadder  sight  does 
earth  produce  than  is  often  witnessed  by  the 
colporteur  in  his  journeys  among  the  poor. 
With  the  same  immortal  natures  with  us,  the 
same  spiritual  needs,  the  same  certainty  of  a 
coming  judgment,  but  without  the  light  and 
comfort  of  the  blessed  hope,  they  struggle 
with  disease,  writhe  in  pain,  groan  in  agony 
of  spirit,  and  die  in  despair.  If  ever  the  gos- 
pel comes  as  a  pure  angel  of  mercy,  it  is  to 
such  agonized  souls,  to  whom  no  minister  of 
Christ  has  access.  To  such,  the  colporteur 
often  comes  just  in  the  hour  when  the  deso- 
late spirit  is  longing  for  some  one  to  explain 
repentance  and  faith,  to  tell  of  Christ's  ato- 
ning work,  of  his  willingness  and  ability  to 


SPECIAL   ADAPTATION.  51 

save,  or  to  cheer  the  departing  spirit  as  it 
enters  the  dark  valley. 

In  the  mountains  of  Virginia,  a  colporteur 
had  sought  out  the  isolated  dwellers,  and  told 
them  of  the  Saviour.  Seven  years  later,  in 
revisiting  that  field,  he  was  called  to  the 
cabin  of  a  dying  woman,  who.  addressed  him 
thus  :  "You  were  the  messenger  of  mercy  to 
me,  and  I  wish  you  to  be  present  when  I 
die."  She  lingered  some  hours,  hearing  his 
counsels  and  responding  to  his  petitions, 
gaining  faith  for  the  final  scene,  and  then 
said  to  her  husband,  "John,  I  am  going  to 
glory.  I  will  stay  till  you  come,  and  will 
look  for  you  every  day;"  and  so  departed  in 
the  faith,  having  learned  of  the  way  only 
through  the  humble  colporteur.  So  poor  was 
the  family,  and  so  far  removed  from  "  the 
settlement,"  that  this  rescued  and  now  glori- 
fied one  was  wrapped  in  a  sheet  and  laid 
away  in  a  coffin  made  of  boards  hewn  out 
of  the  timber  by  her  own  sons  after  her 
death. 

Adequation  to  tliose  speaking  foreign  tongues. 
Assuredly,  one  of  the  most  difficult  problems 
before  the  American  churches  is  this,  How 


52  COLPORTAGE. 

shall  we  reach  effectively,  with  the  gospel  of 
Christ,  immigrants,  of  whom  a  thousand  per 
day  are  seeking  our  shores  from  the  nations 
of  the  old  world  ?  They  will  be  permanent 
members  of  society  £ud  citizens  of  the  state, 
bearing  their  proportion  of  its  burdens,  and 
having  an  equal  share  in  its  management; 
and  they  now  constitute  a  powerful  element 
in  determining  the  future  of  our  social,  polit- 
ical, and  religious  character.  fThey  speak 
all  the  tongues  of  Europe,  and  are  of  all 
shades  of  belief,  with  a  large  prevalence  of 
Homish  tendencies,  or  of  blank  infidelity. 
With  such  a  population,  amounting  to  one- 
fourth,  perhaps,  of  our  entire  people,  it  is 
evident  that  their  assimilation  to  our  insti- 
tutions, and  above  all  their  speedy  evange- 
lization, are  of  vital  moment  to  our  future 
well-being  as  a  nation. 

Colportage  has  demonstrated  its  adapta- 
tion, in  a  most  felicitous  manner,  and  to  a 
remarkable  degree,  to  this  needed  work.  By 
its  many-tongued  colporteurs — and  men  have 
been  employed  speaking  three,  four,  and 
five  languages — and  by  its  books  and  tracts 
in  the  nine  leading  languages  of  these  thou-_ 


SPECIAL   ADAPTATION.  53 

sands,  it  can  reach  almost  every  soul  with 
the  truth  of  Christ.  The  success  of  the 
work  in  this  nearly  unoccupied  field  would 
justify  its  enlargement  tenfold.  "We  simply 
advert  to  this  vast  field  without*  giving  illus- 
trations. 


54:  COLPORTAGE. 

CHAPTER  Y. 

THE  VERSATILITY  OF  COLPOPTAGE. 

In  a  new  country,  where  society  is  in  a 
forming  process,  and  agricultural  and  me- 
chanical skill  is  scarce,  he  is  a  useful  man 
who  can  "turn  his  hand"  to  any  thing  which 
needs  to  be  done.  In  like  manner  the  moral 
and  religious  agencies  which  would  keep 
abreast  of  the  wants  of  our  rapidly  changing 
people,  must  have  much  of  this  versatile 
power,  promptly  adapting  themselves  to  the 
ever-varying  phases  of  society.  Colportage 
is  characterized  by  this  versatility  to  an  almost 
unlimited  extent,  illustrations  of  which  press 
for  record. 

In  time  of  war.  When  the  fearful  scourge 
of  war  came  upon  us,  calling  out  hundreds 
of  thousands  from  their  homes  and  churches, 
crowding  them  into  camps,  cutting  them  off 
from  social,  intellectual,  and  Christian  privi- 
leges, and  exposing  them  to  new  and  violent 
temptations,  it  was  impossible  for  the  church 
through   denominational   channels    to   meet 


VERSATILITY  OF  COLPORTAGE.  55 

this  new  emergency;  but  union  colportage 
stood  ready,  and  instantly  entered  upon  the 
work.  The  first  regiment  passing  through 
New  York  in  April,  1861,  on  its  way  to  save 
Washington,  was  met  and  supplied  with  re- 
ligious reading;  and  the  last  army  in  the 
field  was  supplied  in  like  manner;  while  all 
the  way  through  the  bloody  strife  godly  men 
were  found  in  every  department,  employing 
the  double  agency  of  the  voice  and  the  press 
to  hold  back  the  soldiery  from  sin  and  bring 
them  to  the  cross.  This  work,  commenced 
by  the  Tract  Society,  and  followed  by  others, 
soon  developed  itself  on  a  grand  scale  in  the 
United  States  Christian  Commission,  which, 
in  its  almost  limitless  range  of  ministry,  was 
but  a  specific  application  of  union  colportage 
to  this  new  and  vast  demand.  The  details  of 
that  work,  as  conducted  by  the  Commission, 
do  not  fall  within  our  range.  As  conducted 
by  the  American  Tract  Society,  they  are 
already  written  upon  many  hundred  pages  of 
its  reports,  and  their  hallowed  effects  upon 
many  thousand  hearts;  and  the  facts  demon- 
strate indubitably  the  adaptation  of  the 
agency  to  the  end  sought. 


56  COLPORTAGE. 

A  long-time  laborer  in  a  western  state 
wrote  from  its  capital,  where  the  soldiers  were 
collected  in  large  numbers  at  the  beginning 
of  the  war,  "  What  a  field  is  opened  in  the 
camps !  I  was  the  first  to  commence  reli- 
gious services  among  them  on  the  Sabbath, 
and  continued  them  with  the  assistance  of 
the  pastors,  until  a  chaplain  was  appointed. 
I  also  organized  prayer-meetings,  blessed 
to  many,  as  I  have  since  learned." 

The  experiences  of  one  of  the  Society's 
colporteurs  in  a  southern  state,  and  the  good 
use  to  which  his  books  were  put,  are  well 
told  by  him:  "The  confederate  authorities 
seized  all  my  books,  and  appropriated  them 
for  the  reading  of  their  army.  As  the  judge 
knew  me,  he  gave  the  books  to  me  to  dis- 
tribute. I  immediately  went  into  the  army, 
and  commenced  my  work,  and  with  good 
effect,  for  a  revival  of  religion  soon  was 
spreading  through  the  ranks,  and  several 
young  men  told  me  the  reading  of  these  pub- 
lications was  the  means  of  their  coming  to 
the  Saviour.  One  sad  result  followed.  When 
the  federal  forces  came  to  my  house,  the 
commanding  officer  learned  that  I  had  been 


VERSATILITY  OF   COLPORTAGE.  57 

in  the  Confederate  army  —  lie  knew  not  in 
what  capacity — and  he  pnt  me  under  arrest, 
and  allowed  the  foragers  to  strip  my  house  of 
provisions,  wardrobe,  and  every  thing ;  I  saw 
my  poor  family  reduced  to  beggary,  and  I 
was  in  the  hands  of  the  military.  I  was  driven 
to  despair,  when  my  wife — God  bless  the 
woman — thought  of  my  commission  from  the 
American  Tract  Society.  She  handed  it  to 
the  commanding  officer,  whose  headquarters 
were  at  my  house.  After  examining  it,  he 
called  for  me  and  asked,  "Have  you  been  a* 
colporteur  f6r  this  Society?"  "Yes,  sir,  for 
six  years,  and  rejoice  in  it."  "  "Well,  sir,  if  I 
had  known  this,  not  a  thing  should  have  been 
taken  from  you.  You  are  discharged  from 
custody,  sir."  After  this  I  could  generally 
make  the  commission  a  sure  protection. 

On  another  occasion,  army  colporteur  John 
E.  Vassar,  when  following  the  army  of  the 
Potomac  and  laboring  for  the  good  of  the 
soldiers,  was  captured  by  the  cavalry  of  Gen. 
Lee,  near  Gettysburg.  Not  appearing  with 
military  garb  and  equipment,  he  was  sus- 
pected as  a  spy,  charged,  and  about  to  be 
tried,  with  excitement  running  high  against 


58  COLPORTAGE. 

hirn,  when  lie  thought  of  his  commission, 
and  produced  it.  His  captors  instantly  re- 
laxed their  stern  visages,  commended  his 
work,  took  his  word  of  honor  not  to  leave 
his  present  position  for  six  hours,  and  bade 
him  go  free. 

The  commission  of  the  Society  was  a  sure 
passport  to  the  camps  of  the  soldiery  in  all 
places  and  at  all  times.  The  army  colpor- 
teurs could  go  wherever  a  squad  of  soldiers 
could  penetrate.  In  the  peaceful  camp,  in 
the  forced  march,  in  the  deadly  charge,  in  the 
disastrous  retreat,  in  the  beleagured  fort,  in  the 
long-drawn  trenches,  in  the  open  battle-field, 
and  in  the  crowded  hospital,  they  were  found 
swift  to  aid  the  wounded,  sick,  or  dying ;  and 
no  brighter  page  is  written  in  the  history  of 
humane  and  Christian  effort  than  that  which 
tells  of  Union  Colportage  through  the  Sani- 
tary and  Christian  commissions,  and  by  the 
agents  of  this  Society.  Details,  abundant 
and  cheering,  are  on  record. 

To  Seamen.  Not  less  adapted  is  Union 
Colportage  to  the  wants  and  circumstances 
of  sailors,  seamen,  and  boatmen,  in  our  navy, 
merchant  marine,  and  on  our  rivers,  lakes, 


VERSATILITY   OF    COLPORTAGE.  59 

and  canals.  These  classes  comprise  some 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  men,  cut  off,  by 
their  occupation,  from  church,  and  home, 
and  the  refining  influences  of  female  society, 
and  exposed  to  many  demoralizing  tenden- 
cies. They  greatly  need  some  expression  of 
the  Christian  heart  of  the  land,  which  shall 
reach  them  in  their  isolation,  and  tell  them, 
in  an  effective  form,  of  the  claims  of  a  re- 
deeming Saviour  upon  their  affections  and 
service.  This,  colportage  effects  to  an  extent 
almost  ubiquitous  in  its  range,  and  with  just 
such  counsels  and  publications  as  reach  their 
minds  and  hearts.  At  the  different  sea'ports, 
most  largely  at  New  York,  the  outgoing  ves- 
sels are  supplied  with  books  and  tracts  in  the 
various  languages  represented  among  sea- 
men; packages  are  also  supplied  for  distri- 
bution in  foreign  ports,  and  upon  the  return 
voyages.  On  our  lakes,  rivers,  and  canals, 
through  seamen's  societies,  the  same  work  is 
carried  forward  unceasingly,  and  with  abound- 
ing evidence  that  God  approves.  We  need 
not  ask  whether  any  other  than  a  union 
agency  could  reach  with  acceptance  and 
promise  of  usefulness  these  various  and  nu- 


60  COLPORTAGE. 

merous  classes.  None  other  attempts  the 
work  to  any  extent,  so  far  as  we  know.  We 
give  a  solitary  example  of  what  has  been  clone 
by  one  man  upon  a  single  thoroughfare. 

"Since  May,  1860,  I  have  been  principally 
engaged  in  laboring  to  improve  the  moral 
and  spiritual  condition  of  the  sailors  and 
others  who  daily  pass  through  the  Welland 
canal.  In  the  second  year  I  was  received 
with  the  utmost  cordiality,  which  was  not  in- 
variably the  case  during  my  first  season. 
Groups  of  sailors  surrounded  me  and  listen- 
ed attentively  to  my  pleas  for  Jesus.  They 
received  tracts,  and  as  the  result  of  reading 
them,  I  found  many  under  deep  conviction, 
and  over  some  I  rejoice  as  true  converts. 
The  general  behavior  of  the  boatmen  has 
greatly  improved,  profanity  and  drunkenness 
being  much  lessened,  and  increased  interest 
in  religious  reading  exhibited  by  the  sailors. 
A  captain  said, '  Sir,  you  are  doing  us  a  great 
amount  of  good.  My  men  all  read  your 
tracts,  and  they  have  ceased  visiting  the 
whiskey-shops  in  consequence.  I  want  a  new 
tract  for  each  man.'  I  have  found  many  Ro- 
man-catholics  and  infidels   glad  to  receive 


VERSATILITY    OF    COLrORTAGE.  61 

books  and  tracts.  To  a  captain  of  this  latter 
class  I  sold  '  Nelson's  Cause  and  Cure.'  When 
I  next  met  him  he  said, '  Nelson  met  my  case 
exactly,  and  cured  me  of  infidelity.'  A  cap- 
tain said,  '  You  are  doing  a  great  amount  of 
good  among  these  men ;  it  can  now  be  con- 
ceived only  in  part.'  Another,  '  Your  work 
is  accomplishing  wonders  in  the  lives  and 
conduct  of  these  men.' 

"  These  men  are  exposed  to  losses  by  ship- 
wreck, and  they  have  lonely  hours  when  they 
have  nothing  to  read.  I  see  no  other  way  of 
reaching  them  than  by  colportage.  The  col- 
porteur, with  his  unsectarian  principles,  can 
find  access  to  all  ranks  and  classes  of  soci- 
ety, and  offers  such  books  as  are  approved 
by  all  evangelical  denominations." 

This  colporteur  has  visited  six  thousand 
two  hundred  and  twenty-two  vessels,  and  cir- 
culated, by  sale  and  grant,  $7,500  worth  of 
saving  truth  during  his  long  and  faithful  ser- 
vice; but  what  figures  shall  tell  the  amount 
of  good  done  for  the  men  themselves,  their 
families  at  home  to  whom  the  books  finally 
come,  and  for  all  reached  by  their  influence  ? 

To  Infidels.    That  error  of  all  grades,  from 


62  COLPOKTAGE. 

mere  formalism  down  to  sheer  infidelity  and 
blank  atheism,  abounds  in  some  parts  of  our 
land,  becomes  fearfully  apparent  to  those 
who  employ  so  pervasive  an  agency  as  Mis- 
sionary Colportage.  And  the  impossibility 
of  reaching  it  by  the  ordinary  instrumental- 
ities of  the  denominations,  is  equally  patent. 
The  heretical  sects  guard  their  adherents 
from  the  influence  of  the  evangelical  churches 
most  rigidly ;  and  the  skeptics  and  atheists, 
of  course,  avoid  the  churches  where  the  gos- 
pel is  truly  proclaimed,  declaiming,  in  their 
hatred  of  Christ,  against  what  they  call 
"  priestcraft  and  superstition."  These  classes 
can  only  be  reached  by  an  agency  so  aggres- 
sive as  to  go  wherever  men  live,  so  benevo- 
olent  as  to  disarm,  or  at  least  assuage  the 
bitterness  of  prejudice.  How  happily  col- 
portage turns  itself  to  this  difficult  work  is 
illustrated  by  instances  numerous  and  strik- 
ing. 

A  colporteur  in  the  Northwest,  laboring 
among  a  people  given  up  to  formalism  and 
flagrant  error,  says,  "  Though  I  have  not  ac- 
cess to  these  foreigners'  pulpits,  yet  I  can 
take  a  chair  for  my  pulpit  and  a  family  for 


VERSATILITY   OF    COLPORTAGE.  63 

my  audience,  and  preach  Christ  and  him  cru- 
cified, and  seldom  do  I  have  careless  hear- 
ers. In  this  way  I  can  reach  the  Universal- 
ist  and  the  Spiritualist.  Oh,  how  they  strive 
to  make  us  give  up  that  old  Bible,  or  pervert 
it  to  their  notions !  How  many  hundreds 
there  are  for  miles  all  around  these  churches 
that  scarcely  hear  more  than  the  bell  that  in- 
vites others  to  worship  God."  Who  will  be 
preacher  and  Sabbath-school  teacher  to  them 
at  their  firesides,  but  the  colporteur  ? 

Another  reports  some  startling  facts,  show- 
ing that  the  arch-enemy  of  truth  is  busily 
employing  this  very  system  of  colportage  in 
scattering  widely  the  seeds  of  ruin  and  death. 
He  says,  "  I  have  visited,  during  the  quarter, 
five  different  counties,  carrying  as  many 
books  as  I  could,  and  hunting  up  the  people 
in  their  shanties  and  hamlets.  One  of  the 
greatest  enemies  I  had  to  contend  with  was 
Eenan's  'Life  of  Jesus.'  Hearing  that,  by 
the  liberality  of  some  wealthy  infidels,  two 
intelligent  agents  were  canvassing  a  neigh- 
boring county,  and  selling  this  dangerous 
book  at  a  reduced  price,  I  travelled  day  and 
night  to  reach  the  place  to  try,  by  the  help 


66  COLPOItTAGE. 

reaped  large  rewards,  though  it  is  true  that 
much  of  its  labor  among  Bomanists  has  pro- 
duced no  immediate  fruit.  But  as  the  simple 
gospel,  presented  in  an  earnest  spirit  and  an 
uncontroversial  form,  is  mighty  through  God, 
we  know  good  will  follow  in  his  time. 

A  colporteur  in  Nova  Scotia  testifies  that 
"kind  and  earnest  discussion  with  Catholics 
causes  them  to  think  and  exercise  their  judg- 
ment upon  matters  that  concern  their  salva- 
tion. I  sell  books  largely  among  them,  and 
sometimes  to  the  priests.  To  one  I  sold 
Baxter  and  Burder,  and  two  packages  of 
tracts,  in  which  he  said  he  might  get  some 
useful  hints.  A  young  man  bought  the  Tes- 
tament with  notes,  to  compare  it  with  their 
own.  By  giving  them  good  books,  and  deal- 
ing gently  with  them  in  argument,  and  pray- 
ing with  and  for  them,  I  am  convinced  much 
good  may  be  done.  There  is  the  strongest 
demand  for  such  labor  among  them  now;  for 
as  education  advances,  and  the  mind  expands 
from  the  iron  grasp  of  priestcraft,  unless 
something  purer  is  presented,  it  will  plunge 
into  infidelity.  I  meet  some  already  carried 
away." 


VERSATILITY   OF    COLPOETAGE.  6t 

Sometimes  the  colporteur  "catches  them 
with  guile,"  as  did  Paul  the  captious  ones  of 
his  day.  A  shrewd  laborer  overheard  a  wily 
Eomanist  lay  a  wager  that  he  "  could  buy  a 
pack  of  cards  of  that  hypocritical  Protest- 
tant,"  and  was  ready  when  approached  in  a 
confidential  tone,  and  asked  if  he  had  "  any 
cards."  "Certainly,"  said  the  colporteur, 
"  if  you  will  put  them  quietly  in  your  pocket, 
and  let  no  one  know  where  you  got  them." 
Chuckling  over  his  success,  the  Eomanist 
paid  for  the  "Scripture"  cards,  and  went 
home.  "  Next  morning  I  noticed  the  children 
were  well  supplied  with  these  'Scripture 
Facts,'  and  I  tried  to  meet  my  customer,  but 
he  invariably  found  a  cross-street  before 
coming  within  speaking  distance.  So,  for 
once,  the  Tract  Society  had  a  Eonian-catho- 
olic  colporteur  distributing  '  Scripture  Facts ' 
among  Eoman-catholic  families." 

Another  writes  that  on  a  part  of  his  field 
the  people  are  mostly  Eomanists,  among 
whom,  especially  upon  his  second  and  subse- 
quent visits,  he  sold  and  granted  many  books 
and  tracts,  and  with  some  he  enjoyed  precious 
seasons  of  prayer. 


6Q  COLPORTAGE. 

reaped  large  rewards,  though  it  is  true  that 
much  of  its  labor  among  Romanists  has  pro- 
duced no  immediate  fruit.  But  as  the  simple 
gospel,  presented  in  an  earnest  spirit  and  an 
uncontroversial  form,  is  mighty  through  God, 
we  know  good  will  follow  in  his  time. 

A  colporteur  in  Nova  Scotia  testifies  that 
"kind  and  earnest  discussion  with  Catholics 
causes  them  to  think  and  exercise  their  judg- 
ment upon  matters  that  concern  their  salva- 
tion. I  sell  books  largely  among  them,  and 
sometimes  to  the  priests.  To  one  I  sold 
Baxter  and  Burder,  and  two  packages  of 
tracts,  in  which  he  said  he  might  get  some 
useful  hints.  A  young  man  bought  the  Tes- 
tament with  notes,  to  compare  it  with  their 
own.  By  giving  them  good  books,  and  deal- 
ing gently  with  them  in  argument,  and  pray- 
ing with  and  for  them,  I  am  convinced  much 
good  may  be  done.  There  is  the  strongest 
demand  for  such  labor  among  them  now ;  for 
as  education  advances,  and  the  mind  expands 
from  the  iron  grasp  of  priestcraft,  unless 
something  purer  is  presented,  it  will  plunge 
into  infidelity.  I  meet  some  already  carried 
away." 


VERSATILITY   OF    COLPORTAGE.  6t 

Sometimes  the  colporteur  "catches  them 
with  guile,"  as  did  Paul  the  captious  ones  of 
his  day.  A  shrewd  laborer  overheard  a  wily 
Komanist  lay  a  wager  that  he  "  could  buy  a 
pack  of  cards  of  that  hypocritical  Protest- 
tant,"  and  wTas  ready  when  approached  in  a 
confidential  tone,  and  asked  if  he  had  "  any 
cards."  "Certainly,"  said  the  colporteur, 
"  if  you  will  put  them  quietly  in  your  pocket, 
and  let  no  one  know  where  you  got  them." 
Chuckling  over  his  success,  the  Romanist 
paid  for  the  "Scripture"  cards,  and  went 
home.  "  Next  morning  I  noticed  the  children 
were  well  supplied  with  these  'Scripture 
Facts,'  and  I  tried  to  meet  my  customer,  but 
he  invariably  found  a  cross-street  before 
coming  within  speaking  distance.  So,  for 
once,  the  Tract  Society  had  a  Rornan-catho- 
olic  colporteur  distributing  '  Scripture  Facts ' 
among  Eoman-catholic  families." 

Another  writes  that  on  a  part  of  his  field 
the  people  are  mostly  Romanists,  among 
whom,  especially  upon  his  second  and  subse- 
quent visits,  he  sold  and  granted  many  books 
and  tracts,  and  with  some  he  enjoyed  precious 
seasons  of  prayer. 


68  COLPORTAGE. 

Anotlier  describes  a  timely  visit  to  a  lady 
who  was  to  have  been  baptized  on  the  fol- 
lowing Sabbath  by  the  priest,  but  who  bought 
of  him  some  books,  one  of  which  was  "Nev- 
ins'  Thoughts  on  Popery,"  and  was  rescued. 
"  She  often  thanks  God  that  I  came  just  at 
that  crisis.  Those  books  opened  her  eyes ; 
though  my  door  was  well  pounded  with  brick- 
bats for  the  good  act  of  delivering  her  out  of 
their  hands." 

But  we  need  not  insist  further  upon  the 
versatility  of  this  agency,  by  which  it  can 
adapt  itself  to  every  state  of  society,  and 
meet  every  possible  exigency.  A  shrewd 
man,  with  a  warm  Christian  heart,  with 
ready  utterance  and  a  thorough  knowledge 
of  human  nature,  and  withal  supplied  with 
the  widest  range  of  practical  and  scriptural 
books  and  many  hundred  different  tracts, 
can  scarcely  ever  be  taken  at  unawares ;  nor 
will  he  find  a  human  being  whose  moral  and 
spiritual  condition  demand  counsel  or  in- 
struction which  his  stores  are  not  adapted 
to  meet.  "I  find  this  great  advantage," 
writes  an  experienced  colporteur,  "  that  while 
my  work  is  purely  evangelical,  it  is  not  de- 


VERSATILITY  OF  COLPORTAGE.  69 

nomination al.  I  can  reach  all;  and  preju- 
dice is  disarmed.  I  introduce  the  subject  of 
religion  in  each  house,  and  have  constant 
opportunities  for  instruction,  warning,  and: 
exhortation.  Admonitions  coming  unexpect- 
edly from  a  book  peddler,  as  they  at  first  re- 
gard me,  often,  with  the  blessing  of  God, 
make  a  deeper  impression  because  they  were 
unlooked-for.  A  lady  once  said  to  me,  'I 
envy  you  your  opportunities  for  doing  good. 
The  very  titles  of  your  books  and  tracts  in- 
troduce for  you  the  subject  of  salvation.'  " 


70  COLPORTAGE. 

CHAPTEE   VI. 

KESULTS. 

Twenty-five  years  of  toil  have  also  been 
years  of  triumph  for  Christ's  cause.  While, 
as  in  all  other  modes  of  good-doing,  much  of 
the  labor  may  seem  lost,  there  are  yet  actual 
and  unquestioned  results,  which  swell  away 
beyond  our  limits  of  record.  The  variety  also 
of  these  results  is  such  as  to  increase  the 
difficulty  of  presenting  them  in  a  condensed 
form.  Yet  illustrations  will  be  given,  under 
various  heads,  enough,  at  least,  to  convey  a 
hint  of  the  work  and  its  reward. 

Forestalling  bad  by  good  books.  When  this 
can  be  done  a  vantage-ground  is  gained  of 
untold  value  to  the  prevalence  of  truth.  Yice, 
like  noxious  weeds,  having  obtained  the 
ground,  is  hard  to  eradicate.  First  fill  the 
measure  with  wheat,  and  there  is  no  room 
for  chaff.  Nor  should  it  be  overlooked  that 
books,  good  or  bad,  have  a  tenfold  influence 
in  new  countries,  where  the  people  are  scat- 
tered, with  little  to  occupy  their  minds  in 


RESULTS.  71 

intellectual,  or  even  in  social  channels.  On 
Sabbath  clays,  and  clays  of  storm  and  rain, 
and  during  periods  of  sickness,  many  long 
hours  are  unemployed,  and  the  active  mind 
of  the  frontiersman  seeks  occupation.  Place 
in  his  hand  a  book,  and  it  is  not  thrown 
aside  at  a  glance  to  be  forgotten;  but  in 
many  cases  is  read,  and  reread,  and  thought 
over,  and  discussed,  and  then  reexamined, 
until  it  becomes  a  part  of  his  mental  and 
moral  being.  Hence  the  power  of  books  in 
colporteur  fields.  If  vile  literature,  in  the 
form  of  trashy  novels,  infidei"  books,  or  licen- 
tious pamphlets,  is  diffused  by  the  craft  of 
the  devil  in  a  forming  community  in  advance 
of  a  saving  literature,  most  -disastrous  are  the 
fruits,  and  long  years  of  Christian  effort  are 
necessary  to  supplant  these  and  instal  the 
writers  whose  words  are  life.  And  here  col- 
portage  may  come  with  its  swift  foot,  and 
ready  tongue,  and  beneficent  hand,  to  preoc- 
cupy the  ground,  and  guard  the  scattered 
dwellers  against  the  coming  flood  of  desola- 
ting issues  from  the  obscene  and  infidel  press. 
Indeed,  colporteurs'  reports  are  crowded  with 
instances,  in  which,  as  in  the  apostles'  day, 


72  COLPORTAGE. 

bad  books  "  were  brought  together  and  burn- 
ed "  to  give  place  to  the  truth. 

"  I  sold  '  Nelson's  Cause  and  Cure '  to  an 
infidel.  He  afterwards  told  me  that  when  he 
bought  it,  his  tables  and  shelves  were  filled 
with  novels.  '  When  I  read  Nelson,  I  gather- 
ed them  up,  took  off  the  griddle  from  the 
stove,  and  shoved  them  in.'  He  is  now  a 
preacher  of  the  gospel." 

Another  says :  "  On  my  first  visit,  many 
inquired  for  novels,  and  books  on  Universal- 
ism  and  infidelity,  and  many  had  them.  On 
my  second  call,  I  was  told  that  many  of  the 
bad  books  had  been  burned.  The  parents 
were  very  anxious  to  keep  out  the  vicious 
reading,  having  seen  its  ruinous  effects." 

"  In  a  great  many  instances  I  have  had  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  the  most  profane  works 
burned,  and  Bunyan,  Baxter,  and  Doddridge, 
received  in  their  stead.  At  a  sale,  one  day, 
I  noticed  Paine's  'Age  of  Reason ;'  but  when 
offered  by  the  auctioneer,  the  old  lady  said 
that  was  her  husband's  favorite  book,  and  it 
must  not  be  sold  out  of  the  family.  I  went 
next  day  and  offered  her  the  Bible  and  Bax- 
ter for  it,  which  she  accepted.     She  and  her 


BESULTS.  73 

children  became  pious,  and  often  thanked 
God  that  the  American  Tract  Society  had 
sent  me  there  ;  for,  said  she,  '  If  you  had  not 
brought  me  those  precious  books,  I  should 
have  held  on  to  Paine,  and  died  as  the  old 
man  did.'  "  Another  says,  "I  have  frequent- 
ly exchanged  my  books  for  bad  ones,  and 
have  put  this  corrupt  and  worthless  stuff 
where  it  could  never  be  read  again." 

But  the  effect  of  circulating  standard  evan- 
gelical books  by  the  thousand,  and  the  hun- 
dred thousand,  in  the  waste  places  of  our 
country,  vastly  transcends  in  importance  the 
mere  destruction  of  a  few  volumes  of  the  vile. 
They  become  a  permanent  power  for  good, 
laying  the  foundation  of  character  in  thou- 
sands of  households,  where  the  corrupting 
literature  will  no  longer  be  tolerated.  "  The 
desire  for  religious  reading  has  been  greatly 
increased  on  my  field,"  writes  a  faithful 
worker;  "and  parents  will  no  longer  permit] 
their  children  to  read  the  miserable  stuff 
heretofore  so  common."  "  By  the  twenty- 
four  thousand  volumes  I  have  circulated," 
writes  another,  "  great-  good  has  already  re- 
sulted.    Vicious  literature  has  been  counter- 


74  COLPOIiTAGE. 

acted,  novel  readers  have  given  up  their  trash, 
and  some  have  embraced  the  Saviour."  "In 
creating  a  taste  for  good  reading  and  coun- 
teracting the  bad,"  says  one,  "no  tongue  can 
tell  the  influence  of  the  seventeen  thousand 
five  hundred  volumes  of  truth  I  have  circu- 
lated in  the  last  seven  years.  I  see  the  re- 
sults constantly."  "  When  I  commenced  my 
work,  religious  books  were  rare  and  novels 
abundant,"  writes  another;  "now,  tables 
that  formerly  groaned  under  the  load  of  soul- 
destroying  literature  are  filled  with  the  issues 
of  the  Tract  and  other  good  societies."  Here 
then,  in  preoccupying  the  ground,  or  in  driving 
out  the  vile  and  installing  the  good,  colport- 
age  has  reaped  some  of  its  most  precious 
rewards. 

Golpartage promotes  the  Sabbath-school  cause. 
True,  it  is  not  specifically  a  Sabbath-school 
enterprise,  neither  is  it  primarily  a  Bible  dis- 
tributor ; .  and  yet  it  labors  largely  in  both 
directions.  A  true  Bible  Christian,  such  as 
every  colporteur  should  be,  cannot  leave  any 
family  unsupplied  with  the  precious  Source  of 
all  his  hope,  and  the  American  Bible  Society 
nobly  responds  to  his  request  for  the  power 


RESULTS.  75 

to  supply  each  destitute  family  lie  may  find. 
An  earnest  lover  of  children,  as  every  true 
colporteur  is,  cannot  leave  any  neighborhood 
destitute  of  a  Sabbath-school  where  one  can 
be  formed,  and  his  thorough  visiting  of  every 
house  reveals  the  number  of  children  ungath- 
ered  ;  while  his  stores  of  children's  books  en- 
able him  to  fit  them  out  with  a  suitable 
library.  Hence  a  large  and  blessed  inciden- 
tal result  of  this  system  is  its  aid  to  the  Sab- 
bath-school cause. 

Especially  in  the  newer  districts,  every  col- 
porteur accomplishes  something  in  this  line. 
One  described  a  county  canvassed,  contain- 
ing fifteen  thousand  children,  of  whom  less 
than  three  thousand  attended  Sabbath-school. 
He  formed  twelve  new  schools  for  these  des- 
titute ones,  supplying  them  with  the  begin- 
ning of  a  library,  and  enlisted  good  people 
in  the  work  of  teaching.  Another,  referring 
to  a  former  year's  work  in  a  Southern  state, 
notes,  "In  that  year  I  organized  nine  schools, 
embracing  four  hundred  scholars.  One  of 
these  stood  the  shock  of  war,  being  in  the 
very  midst  of  it.  They  have  procured  preach- 
ing, and  enjoyed  a  precious  revival  of  reli- 


7G  COLTOItTAGE. 

gion,  the  fruits  of  which  the  various  evangel- 
ical denominations  are  realizing."  Another, 
who  has  travelled  above  twenty  thousand 
miles  on  foot  and  on  horseback,  and  visited 
fourteen  thousand  four  hundred  families  dur- 
ing the  seven  years  of  his  service,  says,  "I 
have  been  instrumental  in  forming  eighteen 
schools,  and  supplying  many  others  with 
books."  One  laborer,  who  has  been  in  the 
service  for  eighteen  years,  in  giving  an  inter- 
esting account  of  his  work,  adds,  "I  have 
aided  in  forming  one  hundred  and  thirty-five 
schools  in  these  years."  Who  can  estimate 
the  value  for  time  and  eternity  of  such  a 
service  ? 

A  still  larger  work  is  reported  by  a  godly 
man,  who  has  long  toiled  on  in  a  mountain- 
ous and  neglected  district — neglected  until 
he  went  there,  now  supplied  very  generally 
with  the  preached  gospel :  "  I  have  organized 
one  hundred  and  seventy-eight  Sabbath- 
schools,  where  there  had  never  been  any 
before.  In  some  of  these  places  the  people 
were  so  poor  they  could  not  purchase  even 
the  tickets  to  commence  with,  and  I  have 
taken  in  pay  for  books,  Irish  potatoes,  maple 


BESULTS.  17 

sugar,  and  other  produce,  and  hauled  it  thir- 
ty-five miles  to  market.  After  a  time,  they 
began  to  save  money  to  buy  books.  One 
youth  offered  to  buy  a  large  Testament  if 
I  would  take  a  gallon  of  brandy  he  had 
just  brought  from  the  still-house,  and  prom- 
ised he  would  never  drink  another  drop.  I 
closed  the  bargain,  took  the  jug,  and  broke 
it  over  a  rock.  He  has  since  become  a  Chris- 
tian, and  is  doing  well  in  a  worldly  point  of 
view." 

Such  facts,  running  through  the  entire 
history  of  the  enterprise,  demonstrate  the 
value  of  Union  Missionary  Colportage  to  the 
youth  of  our  land,  and  these  are  but  isolat- 
ed specimens.  A  superintendent  over  one 
agency  has  left  a  record  of  above  seven  hun- 
dred Sabbath-schools  formed  on  his  field  by 
colporteurs.  Some  of  the  results,  in  numerous 
conversions  and  the  formation  of  churches, 
will  appear  in  the  following  pages ;  the  entire 
results  in  the  great  day. 

Colportage  aiding  the  Ministry.  Colportage 
is  designed  to  be  helpful  to  the  ministry  of 
every  true  church  of  Christ.  Its  rules  of  ac- 
tion, its  specific  instructions  to  every  worker, 


78  COLPORTAGE. 

its  means  of  influence,  all  intend  the  further- 
ance of  truth  and  righteousness ;  and  the 
committee  who  have  it  in  charge  rejoice  to 
know,  from  evidence  constant  and  accumu- 
lating, that  it  meets  an  almost  universal  ap- 
proval from  ministers  and  people  over  our 
entire  land.  Those  who  prefer  to  work  in 
strictly  denominational  channels,  still  en- 
dorse it  as  adapted  to  the  "regions  beyond," 
while  most  rejoice  in  its  hearty  and  efficient 
cooperation  in  every  good  word  and  work, 
and  more  especially  in  periods  of  gracious 
reviving.  And  the  value  of  its  aid  directly 
to  the  faithful  and  overworked  minister  is 
gratefully  acknowledged  in  thousands  of  in- 
stances. 

Says  one,  writing  the  Society,  "  Your  liter- 
rature  has  contributed  largely  to  the  exten- 
sion of  Christ's  kingdom  among  us,  by  break- 
ing up  the  fallow  ground  of  the  heart,  and 
preparing  it  to  receive  the  word  preached." 
Another  writes  to  the  colporteur,  "I  thank 
you  for  your  labors  among  inquirers  and  the 
young  converts  during  our  precious  revival. 
God  has  abundantly  blessed  your  work.  I 
feel  that  our  church  and  myself  owe  a  deep 


RESULTS.  79 

debt  of  obligation  to  you  and  your  Society." 
Another,  "I  have  been  quickened  to  more 
activity  by  the  perusal  of  the  soul-stirring 
publications.  The  '  Reformed  Pastor '  I  prize 
greatly,  and  while  perusing  it,  have  been  in- 
structed and  stirred  up,  and  I  hope  to  become 
a  better  minister  of  Jesus  Christ." 

In  addition  to  the  direct  aid  afforded  the 
minister,  the  colporteur  not  unfrequently 
awakes  among  his  peoj)le  the  determination 
to  supply  his  library,  often  too  meagre  for 
his  needs,  with  valuable  additions  from  the 
standard  works  of  the  Society,  thus  the  bet- 
ter equipping  him  for  his  laborious  work. 
And  in  many  ways,  as  a  fellow-helper,  the 
colporteur  passes  from  church  to  church  sow- 
ing good  seed,  which  the  ministry  harvest  for 
God.  This  is  recorded  among  the  results  of 
colportage  in  a  vast  number  of  cases. 

Conversions  and  Bevivals.  While  looking 
at  these  evidences  of  God's  mercy  in  saving 
sinners,  we  would  be  far  from  claiming  col- 
portage as  the  single,  or  in  many  cases  the 
principal  instrument.  The  agencies  for  con- 
version which  the  Holy  Spirit  uses  are  mani- 
fold, and  often,  in  their  operation,  inscrutable 


80  COLPORTAGE. 

to  human  vision;  and  the  most  unseen  are 
sometimes  the  most  efficient.  The  hearing 
of  a  single  sermon,  the  reading  of  a  single 
tract,  a  chance  remark  by  a  stranger,  a 
prayer  offered  in  the  family,  even  a  blessing 
asked  at  a  meal,  may  be  the  immediate  in- 
strument, in  God's  hand,  of  arresting  the 
attention  and  riveting  conviction,  leading  to 
the  surrender  of  the  soul  to  Christ.  Yet  the 
preparation  for  this  may  have  been  long 
years  of  faithful  preaching,  and  the  prayers 
and  instructions  of  pious  and  now  sainted 
parents.  All  this  we  do  not  forget  in  the  in- 
cidents which  follow.  True,  there  are  many 
cases  where  colportage,  to  human  view,  was 
almost  the  sole  instrument ;  yet  even  here  we 
would  refer  all  to  infinite  mercy,  and  praise 
God  that  he  can  use  the  feeblest  instrumental- 
ity in  snatching  men  from  destruction.  But 
it  is  right,  in  sketching  the  history  of  this 
mode  of  Christian  effort,  to  note,  for  the 
strengthening  of  our  faith,  how  richly  the 
divine  blessing  seems  to  attend  it.  Instances 
might  be  multiplied  by  hundreds. 

Let  the  first  illustrate  as  well  the  power  as 
the  grace  of  God,  in  rescuing  a  family  from 


BESULTS.  81 

the  deepest  degradation,  and  lifting  its  mem- 
bers to  the  dignity  of  fellow-heirs  to  an  eter- 
nal inheritance.  "Far  in  the  mountains  I 
entered  a  cabin,  without  windows  or  floor, 
and  found  a  family  of  ten  children,  not  one 
of  whom  could  read  a  word,  nor  had  they 
ever  heard  a  sermon.  The  father  was  unable 
to  read,  and  was  dreadfully  profane,  uttering 
an  oath  in  every  sentence,  even  when  speak- 
ing of  serious  things.  The  mother  could 
read  imperfectly,  but  was  very  ignorant.  I 
held  a  long  conversation  with  the  old  man, 
who  claimed  to  be  an  infidel  because  his  em- 
ployer boasted  of  being  one,  though  this  poor 
man  did  not  know  what  the  word  meant.  He 
admitted  a  belief  in  a  future  state  of  awards, 
and  with  an  oath  declared  he  was  not  fit  for 
a  holy  world.  After  he  left  the  house,  the 
mother  showed  deep  anxiety  on  the  subject 
of  religion,  and  begged  me  to  leave  it  for  her, 
so  she  might  get  it.  She  had  some  time  heard 
talk  of  '  getting  religion.'  The  husband  re- 
fused to  accept  a  Bible,  saying,  'the  old  wo- 
man would  spend  all  her  time  trying  to  read 
it ;'  and  she  was  unwilling  to  take  it,  after  he 
left,  lest  he  should  find  it  and  abuse  her. 

Colpoitage.  6 


82  COLPOETAGE. 

However,  I  determined  to  pnt  the  Bible 
where  she  could  '  get  it,'  and  so  placed  it  un- 
der the  steps  as  I  left  the  house.  I  subse- 
quently learned  the  result.  This  cabin  was 
six  miles  from  the  settlement,  and  the  old 
man  was  often  away  all  day,  and  she  had 
time  to  spell  out  much  of  the  New  Testament. 
She  read  to  the  children,  three  of  whom  were 
grown  girls,  and  they  became  interested.  At 
length  she  felt  that  she  must  pray,  and  ex- 
acting a  promise  from  the  children  that  they 
would  not  tell  the  father,  she  commenced  to 
pray  with  them.  One  evening  the  old  man 
came  in  unexpectedly,  and  found  her  reading 
the  Bible.  '  Oh,  ho,  how  is  this  ?  Just  as  I 
expected ;  that  fellow  that  prayed  here  left  it, 
did  he  ?  Well,  old  ivoman,  read  some  for  us.' 
She  commenced,  and  read  slowly  of  Christ 
being  led  out  to  Calvary  and  nailed  to  the 
cross,  and  that  two  thieves  were  nailed,  one 
on  each  side  of  him.  He  stopped  her,  and 
with  an  oath  told  her  to  read  it  again,  and 
again.  At  length  he  retired.  She  found 
the  light  dawning  on  her  mind,  and  was 
able  to  accept  of  Christ  as  her  Saviour ; 
and   in   the   fullness  of  her  heart,  felt  she 


RESULTS.  83 

must  pray  with  her  children,  and  commit 
them  to  her  new-found  Saviour.  But  the  old 
man,  though  quiet,  was  not  asleep ;  and  her 
prayers  and  rejoicings,  '  I  'ye  got  religion, 
I've  got  religion,  bless  the  Lord,'  reached 
his  heart.  In  the  morning  he  went  out  to 
the  woods,  and  tried  to  pray ;  and  when  he 
returned,  he  called  his  wife,  and  said,  'Moth- 
er, gather  the  family ;  I  swear  I  must  be  a 
Christian;'  and  with  a  great  oath,  which  he 
did  not  mean  to  be  profane,  he  promised  to 
be  the  Lord's,  and  from  that  hour  commenced 
his  service.  Of  all  this  I  knew  nothing ;  but 
in  my  travels  I  determined  to  call  again  upon 
the  family.  I  went  at  the  middle  of  the  day, 
when  I  supposed  the  old  man  would  be  away. 
To  my  astonishment,  I  saw  him  before  I 
reached  the  house,  and  checked  my  horse, 
for  I  was  afraid  of  him.  He  ran  out  with  his 
arms  expanded,  crying,  '  Bless  God  for  send- 
ing you  here  again,'  and  pulled  me  off  my 
horse,  and  actually  carried  me  in  his  arms 
into  the  house.  He  told  me  the  whole  story 
of  his  conversion,  and  I  could  not  doubt  its 
reality.  He  was  a  new  man.  I  sent  them  a 
preacher,  who  instructed  them  more  fully  in 


84  COLrORTAGE. 

the  truth,  and  the  parents  and  nine  of  the  chil- 
dren professed  faith  in  Christ."  Such  is  a 
specimen  of  the  direct  result  of  colportage. 

Known  to  the  writer  are  the  following  facts, 
as  connected  with  a  single  colporteur's  labors, 
and  he  a  humble,  modest  man.  An  impeni- 
tent, but  educated  youth  became  convinced, 
from  closely  watching  his  conduct,  that  reli- 
gion was  a  reality,  and  after  a  time  of  inquiry, 
was  brought  to  Christ  through  his  instru- 
mentality. He  first  became  a  voluntary 
colporteur,  visiting  the  poor  and  wicked  fam- 
ilies around,  and  praying  with  them  ;  then  he 
studied  theology,  all  the  while  working  suc- 
cessfully for  the  Lord;  at  length  he  went  a 
missionary  to  India,  and  for  years  taught  the 
heathen  the  way  of  life ;  failing  in  health,  he 
returned,  and  is  now  a  most  zealous  and  effec- 
tive minister  of  Christ.  This  colporteur  vis- 
ited another  student  in  college ;  was  at  first 
repulsed,  but  continued  his  efforts,  and  the 
student  became  eminently  pious,  and  went  to 
Africa  to  preach  for  the  Saviour.  After  a 
faithful  service,  and  recently,  he  has  gone 
home.  ■  Perhaps  a  score  of  men  have  been 
called  into  the  ministry,  more  or  less  directly 


RESULTS.  85 

through  this  man's  agency,  and  his  four  sons 
are  in  the  sacred  office,  while  numerous  con- 
versions have  occurred  all  along  his  history 
of  twenty  years  in  this  work. 

"In  going  over  my  former  field  last  sum- 
mer," reports  a  godly  brother,  "I  found 
about  twenty,  with  whom,  when  impenitent, 
I  had  conversed  and  prayed,  who  now  were 
rejoicing  in  hope.  One  young  lady,  in  whose 
school  I  had  pleaded  with  the  children  to 
give  their  hearts  to  Christ,  was  herself  con- 
victed, and  I  was  present  the  next  summer 
when  she  made  a  profession  of  religion.  She 
told  me  that  her  salvation  was  owing  to  God's 
blessing  upon  the  talk  to  her  school." 

Another  writes,  "In  this  place,  there  fol- 
lowed my  distributions  a  great  interest,  and 
many  were  brought  to  repentance ;  and  the 
work  so  increased  that  I  devoted  my  time  to 
the  inquirers,  and  others  sold  my  books,  and 
the  result  was  a  large  increase  in  the  church- 
es around."  Another  :  "  About  four  hundred 
have  been  added  to  the  different  churches  on 
my  field,  not  that  my  labors  and  books  were 
the  only,  or  the  principal  cause,  yet  I  am  sure 
the  good  seed  sown  for  years  has  at  length 


86  COLPORTAGE. 

taken  root  downward,  and  borne  fruit  up- 
ward." A  faithful  brother  in  Missouri  enu- 
merates in  detail  nine  hopeful  conversions 
directly  through  the  agency  of  the  colpor- 
teur's visits  and  books.  "The  pastor  told 
me,"  says  another,  "  that  of  the  forty  acces- 
sions to  his  church  immediately  following  my 
labors  there,  a  number  were  awakened  by 
the  books  and  tracts."  A  brother  who  has 
labored  thirteen  years,  circulated  thirty-three 
thousand  volumes,  travelled  above  fifty-eight 
thousand  miles,  and  made  more  than  nine- 
teen thousand  family  visits,  after  speaking  of 
many  cases  of  conversion,  gives  this  incident : 
"I  called  upon  a  family  whose  head  was 
skeptical,  but  courteous.  The  Lord  seemed 
to  help  me  in  conversation,  and  his  heart  was 
touched.  He  bought  Watson's  'Beply  to 
Paine.'  In  a  short  time  he  embraced  Christ. 
I  met  him  a  few  years  after,  when  he  told  me 
he  considered  my  first  visit  to  his  house  the 
starting  point  not  only  of  his  own,  but  his 
wife's  and  two  daughters'  religious  life."  But 
why  should  instances  be  here  multiplied,  when 
the  entire  history  of  the  work  is  illuminated 
by  such  cases  ? 


RESULTS.  87 

Result  in  founding  Churches.  If  Union  Mis- 
sionary Colportage  is  thus  blessed  to  the 
conversion  of  many  souls,  we  should  natur- 
rally  look  for  the  springing  up  of  churches  in 
its  wake.  Such  has  been  the  fact  in  very 
many  cases,  especially  in  the  newer  settle- 
ments. God  is  using  this  system  as  a  fore- 
running agency  to  the  organization  of  local 
and  permanent  worshipping  assemblies. 

"I  labored  awhile,"  reports  a  clerical  col- 
porteur, "in  a  neighborhood  where  Sabbath 
breaking,  profanity,  and  all  sin,  abounded ; 
but  could  sell  no  books.  I  niade-an  appoint- 
ment to  preach  in  a  school-house,  and  there 
was  a  good  attendance.  The  love  of  God  and 
the  story  of  the  cross,  melted  their  hearts.  I 
had  to  continue  the  meetings  for  three  weeks. 
A  church  was  formed,  a  house  of  worship 
built,  and  a  general  reformation  wrought. 
A  good  many  Universalists  gave  up  their 
errors,  and  are  useful  members  of  the 
church." 

A  brother  who  had  labored  on  one  field  for 
ten  years,  and  had  sold  twenty  thousand  vol- 
umes, given  away  six  thousand,  and  travelled 
on  foot,  horseback,  and  in  a  buggy,  above 


88  COLPORTAGE. 

twelve  thousand  weary,  toilsome  miles,  writes, 
"  Sabbath-schools  and  churches  have  been 
originated  all  over  my  field  since  I  commen- 
ced, and  many  of  them  attribute  their  ori- 
gin and  prosperity  largely  to  the  colporteur 
work."  An  earnest  brother,  in  a  mountain- 
ous region,  avers:  "Over  much  of  my  wide 
field,  preachers  have  followed  my  labors,  and 
organized  considerable  congregations.  Take 
one  district  as  an  example.  In  the  whole  re- 
gion of  B there  was  no  preaching  when 

I  commenced.  After  laboring  about  twelve 
months  among  the  people,  I  succeeded  in  ob- 
taining a  godly  United  Brethren's  minister, 
who  went  with  me  into  the  mountains,  and  for 
seven  weeks  we  held  most  precious  meetings. 
As  a  consequence,  at  the  next  conference  they 
laid  out  a  circuit  on  that  territory,  and  every 
preaching-place  was  at  a  point  where  I  had 
organized  a  Sabbath-school.  That  circuit 
has  now  three  ministers." 

In  training  Workers  for  Christ.  Work  for 
Christ  has  a  fourfold  reward :  in  the  approval 
of  God,  in  the  good  done,  in  the  happiness 
of  the  worker,  and  in  Ms  increased  'power  of 
usefulness  for  the  future.     The  development  of 


RESULTS.  89 

muscular,  and  brain,  and  heart  power,  de- 
pends upon  exercise,  and  lie  who  employs 
them  all  in  active  exertion  for  Christ  will 
grow  to  be  a  symmetrical  and  stalwart  Chris- 
tian. Only  by  vigorous  and  long-continued 
exercise,  and  in  great  variety  of  circumstan- 
ces, does  any  one  attain  to  that  ideal  of  Chris- 
tian character  presented  by  the  apostle,  in 
which,  to  faith  is  added  manly  courage,  scrip- 
tural knowledge,  personal  control,  untiring 
patience,  great  devoutness,  brotherly  kind- 
ness, and  an  enlarged  catholicity.  2  Peter  1: 
5-7.  How  beautifully  colportage,  by  its  union 
principles,  Christian  aims,  and  infinite  variety 
of  opportunities  for  exercise,  works  ,to  this 
end,  could  be  illustrated  to  an  indefinite 
extent. 

The  constant  trials  to  which  the  faithful 
laborer  is  subjected,  strengthen  his  graces 
and  develop  -his  powers  for  greater  contests 
and  victories.  A  plain,  uneducated  man 
grows  even  eloquent  in  describing  his  experi- 
ence: "Has  any  been  sneered  at  as  a  canting 
hypocrite  ?  so  have  I.  Has  any  been  jeered 
as  getting  his  living  without  work?  so  have 
I.     Has  any  been  ordered  home  to  attend  to 


90  COLPORTAGE. 

his  own  business,  and  let  others'  alone  ?  so 
have  I.  Has  any  been  driven  violently  out 
of  the  house?  so  have  I.  Has  any  been 
threatened  with  mob  violence?  so  have  I. 
Has  any  been  refused  Christian  hospitality  ? 
so  have  I,  many  a  time.  But  none  of  these 
things  move  me,  and  I  can  humbly  say,  'I 
count  not  my  life  dear  unto  me,  if  I  may  win 
souls  to  my  Saviour.'  Has  any  received, 
day  by  day,  the  witness  of  the  Spirit ;  has 
any  found  kind  friends  day  by  day;  found 
grace  in  every  time  of  need  ;  had  a  foretaste 
of  the  joy  in  reserve  for  the  righteous ;  and 
been  strengthened  with  might  in  the  inner 
man  for  every  good  word  and  work?  I  more ; 
for  God  is  with  me." 

Another  describes  and  rejoices  in  this  work, 
so  admirable  for  developing  the  Christian 
graces  :  "  None  but  self-denying  followers  of 
the  Redeemer  can  hope  for  success.  I  re- 
member the  first  day  I  went  out  to  labor :  not 
meeting  with  immediate  success,  I  wept  bit- 
terly ;  but  before  the  day's  work  was  finished 
I  was  rejoicing.  It  will  not  do  for  the  col- 
porteur, when  he  comes  to  a  house,  to  halt 
and  shout, '  Hallo,'  and  from  the  roadside  in- 


RESULTS.  91 

quire  if  there  is  any  thing  in  the  way  of  reli- 
gious books  wanted.  No  ;  he  must  dismount, 
tie  up,  and  enter  the  house,  and  with  a  con- 
fiding love  in  his  Redeemer  unknown  to 
many  professed  Christians,  beseech  and  en- 
treat the  inmates,  whom  he  never  expects  to 
see  again,  not  only  to  take  his  books,  but  to 
be  reconciled  to  God.  It  is  not  the  rich  that 
take  him  by  the  hand  generally;  but  the  poor 
in  this  world's  goods,  and  the  lowly  that  of- 
tenest  cheer  his  heart.  Although  I  have  met 
with  many  kind-hearted  people  of  wealth, 
still  they  are  the  exceptions.  And  if  ever  the 
American  Tract  Society  shines  with  a  sweet 
and  heavenly  lustre,  it  is  in  this  very  thing, 
that  it  bears  the  gospel  to  the  poor,  and  seals 
the  word  by  pointing  the  inquiring,  the  err- 
ing, and  the  hardened  sinner  to  Jesus.  If 
all  the  admonitions,  encouragings,  warnings, 
entreaties,  expostulations,  prayers,  wrestlings, 
cryings,  heart-breakings,  hungerings,  thirst- 
ings,  wettings  and  scorchings  by  the  way,  in- 
sults of  sinners,  and  greetings  of  friends,  dia- 
logues and  arguments  made  use  of  and  en- 
dured by  the  colporteur  in  his  labors  for  a 
series  of  years,  were  accurately  set  clown  and 


92  COLPORTAGE. 

penned  in  a  book,  the  result  would  be  over- 
whelming; yet,  blessed  be  God,  though  my 
trials  are  not  known  to  man,  they  are  known 
above,  and  the  humble  servant  who  has  not 
shrunk  from  duty  in  the  hour  of  severest  trial 
will  receive  a  gracious  crown  in  the  day  when 
He  comes  to  make  up  His  jewels.  I  look 
upon  my  work  as  matchless  in  grandeur." 

A  little  German  errand  boy  is  trained  up 
to  the  ministry  of  the  glorious  gospel  by  col- 
portage:  "In  the  year  1853  I  was  employed 
in  St.  Louis  as  errand  boy  for  the  depository. 
After  a  time,  I  became  clerk.  While  in  the 
depository,  by  reading  such  works  as  '  Bax- 
ter's Call,'  'Come  to  Jesus,'  and  the  Me- 
moirs of  Martyn  and  Brainerd,  I  was  enabled 
to  consecrate  myself  to  Christ,  and  experi- 
ence his  pardoning  mercy.  The  reading  of 
'Harlan  Page,'  'Claudius  Buchanan,'  and 
James'  'Christian  Progress,'  awakened  in  me 
a  desire  to  do  good.  My  first  efforts  con- 
sisted in  the  distribution  of  tracts  in  desti- 
tute portions  of  the  city.  In  connection  with 
three  other  young  men,  I  took  part  in  the 
organization  of  a  mission  Sabbath-school, 
and  for  three  years  filled   the  position   of 


RESULTS.  93 

treasurer  in  it.  The  school  now  has  an  aver- 
age attendance  of  fourteen  hundred.  In  1857 
another  person  and  myself  established  anoth- 
er mission  Sabbath-school  in  the  northwest- 
ern part  of  the  city.  The  majority  of  the 
scholars  were  secured  by  our  personal  solici- 
tation while  engaged  in  tract  visitation.  Dur- 
ing my  connection  with  both  schools,  a  num- 
ber of  conversions  blessed  the  labors  of  the 
teachers.  During  the  revival  season  in  1857, 
the  cheaper  publications  of  the  Society  were 
extensively  used.  Four  persons  attributed 
their  salvation  to  the  tract,  'The  Act  of 
Faith.'  One  was  savingly  blessed  by  read- 
ing, *  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God.'  '  A  Pastor's 
XJounsel'  was  put  into  the  hands  of  every 
young  convert,  and  with  the  happiest  results. 
The  spirit  which  made  the  lives  of  Henry 
Martyn  and  Edward  Payson  fragrant  with 
self-sacrificing  labors,  impelled  me  to  make  a 
fuller  consecration  of  myself  to  Christ,  and  to 
endeavor  from  the  pulpit  to  point  the  perish- 
ing to  the  atoning  Saviour  on  the  cross."  He 
is  now  proclaiming  the  good  news. 

We  add  another  example  of  one  trained  by 
colportage  for  wide  usefulness,  until  this  hour 


94  COLPOETAGE. 

devoting  himself  with  increasing  strength  to 
its  prosecution  :  "  Some  time  in  the  year  1839, 
being  then  at  my  father's  house  in  South  Car- 
olina, in  my  fifteenth  year,  and  nearly  deaf 
and  dumb,  secluded  from  the  world,  in  the 
midst  of  deep  and  impenetrable  swamps,  sur- 
rounded by  about  six  thousand  five  hundred 
negroes,  and  hardly  twenty-five  whites  in  all, 
and  these  ignorant  and  tyrannical  overseers, 
a  colporteur  of  the  American  Tract  Society 
visited  father,  soliciting  the  sale  of  the  Evan- 
gelical Family  Library  of  fifteen  vokfmes. 
When  father  was  about  to  decline,  I  induced 
him  to  purchase  them  for  me.  I  commenced 
reading  the  first  volume,  Doddridge's  '  Rise 
and  Progress,'  was  soon  convicted  and  con- 
verted by  God's  grace.  The  last  volume, 
'Life  of  J.  B.  Taylor,'  convicted  father.  I 
immediately  commenced  reading  every  night 
to  the  negroes,  until  I  read  nearly  all  of  the 
volumes  to  them,  and  many  were  converted. 
I  joined  the  church,  and  was  appointed  class- 
leader,  and  commenced  visiting  from  house 
to  house,  reading  and  circulating  books  and 
tracts  as  fast  as  I  was  able  to  buy  or  beg 
them.     I  also  commenced  Sabbath-schools 


RESULTS.  95 

for  the  blacks,  but  was  often  molested,  until 
at  length  I  was  appointed  captain  of  the  pa- 
trol, which  gave  me  access  to  these  people. 
I  at  length  obtained  license  to  exhort  and 
travel  on  a  circuit ;  but  gave  my  whole  atten- 
tion to  the  circulation  of  books,  getting  them 
from  pastors  and  elsewhere,  until  1853,  when 
the  preachers  at  Raleigh,  who  had  witnessed 
my  work,  and  Bishop  Early  said,  '  God  has 

called  M to  the  book  business.'     I  was 

then  introduced  to  Mr.  C ,  who  soon  got 

me  a  commission  from  the  Tract  Society ; 
and  I  have  worked  ever  since.  My  entire 
work  may  be  summed  up  thus :  Sales  and 
grants,  $12,000  ;  miles  travelled,  seventy  thou- 
sand ;  family  visits,  fifty-three  thousand.  I 
have  travelled  on  foot  over  thirty  thousand 
miles,  and  yet  I  am  to-day  in  good  health, 
and  can  stand  fatigue  as  well  as  ever  I  could. 
I  have  worked  in  six  different  states.  On  re- 
ceiving my  commission,  I  went  before  God  in 
prayer  for  aid  and  direction.  On  surveying 
my  field  I  found  an  almost  total  destitution 
of  religious  books  and  piety,  and  the  people 
served  by  many  illiterate  preachers.  Their 
religion  was  either  very  cold  and  formal,  or 


96  COLPOHTAGE. 

of  the  extreme  spasmodic  kind,  all  feeling 
without  knowledge.  I  saw  clearly  that  the 
tract  volumes  stood  a  happy  medium  between 
these  two  extremes,  quickening  the  one  to 
zeal  and  heartfelt  religion,  while  it  tamed  the 
wild  animal  excitement  of  the  oth^er.  Noth- 
ing has  ever  done  for  my  own  church  more 
than  the  tract  volumes.  To  use  an  elder's 
language,  '  Brother,  your  books  build  up  our 
church  more  than  all  the  big,  shouting  revi- 
vals, because  they  quietly  instruct,  and  last- 
ing impressions  are  made.  There  is  a  holy 
spirit  which  pervades  every  page ;  no  one 
can  read  even  a  few  pages  without  being 
moistened  to  tears.'  In  this  way  they  fore- 
stall vicious  books.  God  does  bless  the  book, 
even  if  the  devil  should  carry  it,  to  the  sal- 
vation of  souls.  A  stolen  one  has,  to  my 
knowledge,  converted  the  thief.  I  have  or- 
ganized one  hundred  and  seventy-six  Sab- 
bath and  day  schools  of  nearly  five  thousand 
eight  hundred  scholars  ;  one  of  one  hundred 
and  forty  in  1855,  which  is  still  in  operation. 
I  have  always  aided  pastors  and  churches  in 
every  possible  way ;  in  visiting  every  house, 
distributing  tracts,  and  begging  the  people  to 


KESULTS.  97 

attend  church ;  and  praying  with  the  people 
in  their  houses,  fields,  shops,  on  the  road- 
side, and  everywhere  I  can  find  them,  and 
instructing  their  children  and  servants.  I 
have  always  sought  out  the  lowly  ones,  and 
cheered  them." 

What  a  record  of  development  and  Chris- 
tian effort,  for  one  who  at  the  age  of  fifteen 
was  an  ignorant  boy,  almost  deaf  and  dumb, 
in  secluded  rice  swamps,  and  with  no  means 
of  education ! 


Colportage, 


98  COLrORTAGE. 

CHAPTEB  VII. 

A  COMPREHENSIVE  VI^EW. 

But  an  imperfect  idea  of  the  toil,  self- 
denial,  true  apostolic  labor,  and  large  suc- 
cess of  colportage  can  be  obtained  by  the 
selection  of  isolated  incidents,  as  in  the  pre- 
ceding chapter.  A  condensed  view  of  the 
work  of  years  may  aid  the  mind  in  compre- 
hending the  value  of  the  system  to  the  cause 
of  Christ. 

An  Individual  Record.  "  I  have  travelled 
on  foot,  horseback,  and  in  buggy,  in  nine 
years,  thirty-five  thousand  miles ;  have  made 
fifty-eight  thousand  family  visits ;  have  cir- 
culated twenty-four  thousand  seven  hundred 
volumes ;  have  assisted  in  organizing  four- 
teen Sabbath-schools,  and  have  seen  six 
churches  springing  up  on  my  field,  in  more 
or  less  intimate  connection  with  my  labors." 
Brief  is  this  record  of  solitary  journeyings, 
which  in  the  aggregate  would  girdle  the  globe, 
of  the  Christian  visits  to  many  thousand  house- 
holds, of  the  number  of  volumes  of  saving 


A   COMPREHENSIVE    VIEW. 


99 


truth  installed  in  destitute  families,  and  of 
Sabbath-schools  and  churches  formed ;  but 
no  one  can  doubt  the  vast  reach  of  these  two 
thousand  seven  hundred  days  of  personal 
service  for  the  Master.  And  this  is  but  one 
of  many  similar  records  on  the  files  of  the 
Society. 

A  Partial  View.  In  the  following  table  we 
group  a  few  statistics  from  a  small  number 
of  laborers,  bringing  out  the  magnitude  of 
the  work  in  three  aspects. 


j.  w.  w.-  — 

J.McB. 

J.  M. 

J.  M. 

J.  P. 

j.  M. 

G.  S. 

H.  S.~ 

G.  W.  S.-  — 
G.  T.H.— - 

B.  J.- 

J.  D. 

T.  C. 

P.  B. 

A.O.C. 

D.  D/S. 


Length  of 

Volumes  Cir- 

Family   Vis- 

Service. 

culated. 

its  made. 

2  y'rs. 

6,400 

9.100 

2    " 

8.000 

5.500 

3     " 

9,000 

6.200 

7    " 

26,000 

19,000 

7    « 

18,200 

14,400 

7    " 

21,000 

11.600 

8    « 

35,000 

25,500 

8    " 

18.900 

20,700 

8f  » 

19,900 

21,700 

9J  « 

27,700 

58,400 

10    « 

35.200 

24,900 

10J-  " 
10*  " 

30,100 

28,200 

29,900 

18.400 

11     « 

20.500 

26,500 

13     " 

31.000 

44,500 

13     " 

33.100 

18,900 

130    " 

375.900 

353,500 

iles     Trav- 
elled. 


2.500 
5.200 
6,700 
15.500 
20.500 
12.000 
51,000 
24,000 
24.200 
35.000 
15.000 
7.500 
21.000 
16.600 
12.000 
58,200 


326,900 


This  table  shows  as  the  average  that  each 
colporteur,  in  each  year  of  colportage,  circu- 


100  COLPORTAGE. 

lated  two  thousand  eight  hundred  and  nine- 
ty-one volumes,  made  two  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  nineteen  family  Christian  visits, 
and  traversed  two  thousand  five  hundred 
and  fourteen  miles  from  house  to  house.  Add 
to  this  the  social  meetings  addressed,  the 
words  of  exhortation  and  comfort  spoken, 
the  Sabbath-schools  formed,  and  the  unnum- 
bered influences  flowing  from  such  labor,  and 
we  may  form  some  idea  of  the  efficiency  of 
the  system.  Even  this  partial  table  is  wor- 
thy of  study. 

General  Summary  of  Statistics.  So  far  as 
mere  statistics  can  exhibit  the  results  of  a 
missionary  work,  we  are  happily  in  posses- 
sion of  the  most  accurate  data.  During  the 
quarter  of  a  century  that  colportage  has  been 
expanding,  the  laborers  have  systematically 
reported  monthly,  quarterly,  and  annually, 
and  in  duplicate.  These  reports  are  on  file, 
and  afford  the  means  of  comparison  and  cor- 
rection in  each  case.  The  following  sum- 
mary is  therefore  full  upon  the  points  it 
touches,  and  as  accurate  as  care  can  make 
it ;  while,  of  course,  it  only  attempts  to  give 
certain  great  facts  wrought  out  by  the  system. 


A  COMPREHENSIVE   VIEW.  101 

SUMMARY  VIEW  OF  COLPORTAGE  FOR  TWEN- 
TY-FIVE YEARS. 

Time  employed,  months 48,499 

Number  of  volumes  sold - 8,233,620 

granted 2,264,356 

public  meetings  addressed,  and  prayer-* 

meetings  held -     222,015 

families  destitute  of  all  religious  books 

except  the  Bible 793,743 

families  destitute  of  the  Bible 489,013 

families  of  Roman-catholics 817,637 

families  habitually  neglecting  evangel- 
ical preaching 1,261,285 

families  conversed  with  on  personal  re- 
ligion, or  prayed  with 4,874,256 

family  visits- 9,354,485 

When  we  say,  in  summing  np  the  work, 
that  above  four  thousand  years  of  colporteur 
labor  have  been  performed,  more  than  the 
continuous  service  of  two  men  from  the  birth 
of  Christ  until  now  ;  that  ten  and  a  half  mill- 
ions of  volumes  of  saving  truth  have  been 
circulated ;  that  more  than  two  hundred 
thousand  religious  meetings  have  been  ad- 
dressed; that  nearly  a  million  of  families 
have  been  found  destitute  of  religious  books, 
and  supplied ;  that  a  million  and  a  quarter  of 
families  have  been  found  who  neglected  evan- 
gelical worship,  and  have  been  urged  to  duty ; 
that  the  gospel  has  been  carried  to  nearly  one 


102  COLPORTAGE. 

million  Roman-catholic  families;  and  that  of 
the  more  than  nine  million  Christian  visits 
made  to  families,  five  millions  of  them  were 
accompanied  with  prayer  or  direct  personal 
appeals  in  the  name  of  Christ — we  have  given 
figures  which,  in  their  influence  for  the  glory 
of  God,  sweep  far  beyond  our  feeble  compre- 
hension. This  general  summary  of  facts  we 
present  for  examination  and  reflection.  An 
eloquent  speaker  at  one  of  the  anniversaries 
exclaimed,  "Why  these  are  like  the  figures  of 
astronomy ;  they  make  us  think  of  the  leaves 
of  our  forests,  or  the  countless  waves  that 
gleam  along  our  extended  coast!" 

Of  the  full  results  of  these  labors  we  shall 
not  be  informed  until  the  enlarged  capacities 
of  the  eternal  world  shall  qualify  us  to  com- 
prehend the  realities  which  will  be  there  re- 
vealed. But  when  one  of  the  many  hundreds 
of  colporteurs  that  have  been  employed  tells 
us  of  over  seven  hundred  Sabbath-schools  or- 
ganized in  connection  with  his  labors ;  and 
another  tells  us  of  one  hundred  and  three 
conversions  coming  to  his  personal  knowl- 
edge as  resulting  from  the  circulation  of 
copies  of  one  tract  by  him  ;  and  another  tells 


A    COMPREHENSIVE    VIEW.  103 

us  of  three  churches  growing  out  of  the  labors 
of  one  colporteur  in  a  single  district ;  and 
others  continually  report  to  us  in  their  cor- 
respondence individual  cases  of  conversion, 
and  interesting  revivals  of  religion  more  or 
less  directly  connected  with  their  labors ; 
when  watchmen  from  the  walls  of  Zion  report 
to  us  their  own  conversion  by  the  reading  of 
some  of  these  publications ;  "  a  mission  estab- 
lished among  the  heathen  as  the  result  of  the 
reading  of  one  tract  published  by  this  Soci- 
ety ;"  a  revival  of  religion,  resulting  in  the 
conversion  of  several  hundreds  of  souls,  from 
the  systematic  circulation  of  the  Tract  Soci- 
ety's volumes,  accompanied  with  fireside  la- 
bors from  house  to  house ;  and  when  we  find 
the  record  of  such  statements  as  these  run- 
ning through  the  whole  history  of  the  Society, 
and  constantly  meet  with  similar  facts  every- 
where in  our  intercourse  with  Christian  men — 
we  are  constrained  to  exclaim,  "What  hath 
God  wrought ! "  and  to  accept  the  conviction 
that  truly  our  labors  have  not  been  in  vain, 
while  from  the  heart  we  exclaim,  "Not  unto 
us,  O  Lord,  not  unto  us,  but  unto  thy  name 
give  the  glory." 


104  COLPORTAGE. 


CONCLUSION. 


In  the  foregoing  pages  we  have  described 
the  system  of  Union  Missionary  Colportage, 
as  originated  and  conducted  by  the  American 
Tract  Society ;  have  attempted  to  point  out 
its  true  place,  as  a  forerunner  to  the  organ- 
ized churches,  antagonistic  to  none,  helpful 
to  all ;  have  illustrated  the  need  of  such  an 
agency,  from  the  divided  state  of  the  church 
of  Christ,  and  the  fearful  destitutions  which 
exist  over  large  portions  of  our  land ;  have 
indicated  the  happy  adaptation  of  this  Union 
agency  to  the  peculiar  exigencies  of  our  coun- 
try ;  and  have  shown  by  a  series  of  illustra- 
tions the  versatility  of  the  system  to  relieve 
every  spiritual  want  and  woe  of  our  scattered 
and  perishing  population.  " 

Further,  we  have  presented  some  of  the 
results  of  twenty-five  years  of  colportage,  in 
forestalling  bad  by  good  books,  in  promo- 
ting Sabbath-schools,  in  aiding  the  ministry, 
in  conversions  and  revivals,  and  in  founding 
churches  ;  and  have  shown  the  power  of  the 


CONCLUSION.  105 

S3Tstem  in  training  active  and  stalwart  Chris- 
tians for  the  work  of  the  Lord  ;  and  finally, 
we  have  summed  up,  as  far  as  figures  could 
do  this,  a  few  of  the  unnumbered  results 
achieved  during  the  first  quarter  century  of 
Union  Missionary  Colportage. 

From  all  of  which  there  seem  to  us  to  fol- 
low irresistibly  these  four  conclusions  : 

That  there  has  existed,  and  continues  to 
exist,  an  imperative  need  of  Union  Mission- 
ary Colportage  over  much  of  our  land  ; 

That  there  is  a  special  field  for  such  a  sys- 
tem as  is  prosecuted  by  this  Society  ; 

That  in  the  present  divided  state  of  the 
evangelical  churches,  its  catholicity  adapts  it 
to  perform  a  grand  evangelizing  work,  in 
which  good  men  of  all  names  can  cooperate ; 

And  that  the  results,  thus  far,  give  the 
highest  sanction  to  a  speedy  enlargement, 
and  the  most  earnest  prosecution  of  the  sys- 
tem in  the  future. 

So  far  as  this  volume  shall  cheer  and  aid 
our  brethren  whose  toil  it  attempts  to  por- 
tray ;  so  far  as  it  shall  incline  pastors  to 
commend  the  enterprise  to  the  prayers  and 
benefactions  of  their  people ;    so   far  as  it 


106  COLPORTAGE. 

shall  suggest  to  benevolent  men  of  means 
the  blessed  privilege  of  proclaiming  Christ  to 
thousands  by  sustaining  a  colporteur  in  a 
destitute  section ;  so  far  as  it  shall  stimulate 
private  Christians  to  faith,  and  prayer,  and 
personal  effort  unceasingly  for  the  salvation 
of  sinners — thus  far  will  it  have  accomplished 
the  end  of  its  preparation.  We  commit  it  to 
that  gracious  God  who  can  bless  the  feeblest 
instrumentality,  and  to  the  dear  brethren  of 
every  name  who  love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  look  for  his  coming  and  kingdom. 


APPENDIX. 


To  illustrate  many  points  briefly  presented  in  the  pre- 
ceding pages,  the  statements  of  men  who  have  labored  in 
the  various  departments  of  the  work  will  be  found  valu- 
able. 

STATEMENTS  OF  COLPORTEURS. 
A  clerical  colporteur,  who  speaks  and  writes  in  both 
German  and  English,  though  imperfectly  in  the  latter, 
thus  ^graphically  describes  his  work  : 

I  have  labored  the  last  fifteen  years  and  forty  days  as  a 
colporteur.  I  have  sold  about  $6,200,  and  granted  $900  ; 
travelled  about  sixty-five  thousand  seven  hundred  miles. 
I  made  fifty-four  thousand  three  hundred  family  visits, 
and  labored  for  ten  thousand  soldiers.  The  influence 
from  $7,100  worth  of  our  Christian  books,  which  I  have 
brought  to  families  in  my  field,  is  very  great.  There  is 
little  inquiry  for  novels  any  more  ;  I  hear  the  question; 
perhaps  only  once  a  month,  if  I  have  novels  among  my 
books.  Many  Christians,  through  my  influence,  are  talk- 
ing against  novels  and  other  wicked  books.  When  I 
started,  fifteen  years  ago,  there  was  inquiry  for  novels, 
perhaps  more  or  less  every  day ;  but  now  they  want  our 
Christian  books,  and  there  is  taste  for  Christian  reading 
nearly  everywhere.     True  Christian  religion  has  made 


108  COLPORTAGE. 

great  progress  here,  through  our  Christian  literature.  I 
have  helped  in  organizing  Sabbath-schools,  brought  in 
teachers  and  scholars,  given  addresses,  and  introduced 
much  of  our  Christian  literature.  My  whole  soul  is  en- 
gaged for  their  increase  and  prospering. 

I  visited,  some  time  ago,  a  German  Eonian-catholic 
family  with  niany  children  ;  I  spoke  to  the  parents  about 
sending  their  children  to  the  Sabbath-school,  and  gave 
them  cards,  but  the  children  appeared  very  ignorant  about 
my  questions  in  religion ;  they  could  not  read.  But  be- 
fore a  year  was  past  I  came  again  in  that  settlement ;  the 
children  received  me  very  happy,  and  began  to  read  Eng- 
lish in  my  books.  Full  of  joy,  I  inquired,  "Where  did 
you  learn  to  read  so  well?"  They  said,  "Have  you  not 
told  us,  when  you  were  here,  we  shall  go  to  the  Sabbath- 
school?  We  did  go,  and  learned  it  in  our  Sabbath- 
school."  Soon  that  family  moved  away  in  a  Yankee 
settlement,  and  my  heart  was  full  of  praise,  because  I  be- 
lieve they  are  lost  to  the  pope  for  ever,  and  they,  find 
Jesus.  I  gave  them  some  of  our  Christian  literature,  told 
them  they  shall  read  the  Bible  and  give  their  hearts  to 
Jesus. 

I  spoke  with  another  family  about  religion,  sending 
their  children  to  common-school  and  Sabbath-school,  sold 
them  books,  and  directed  that  German  family  to  Jesus  ; 
also  they  went  to  Sabbath-school  and  English  meeting. 
"Last  j'ear  was  a  great  revival  of  religion  in  that  settle- 
ment, and  father,  and  mother,  and  four  children  became 
converted,  and  joined  the  church.  Close  by,  there  is  an- 
other Koman-catholic  man ;  his  wife  is  Protestant.  I 
spoke  with  that  man  much  about  religion,  left  them 
many  tracts  and  books ;  his  wife  also  became  converted 
in  the  same  revival,  joined  the  church,  and  the  children 
are  in  Sabbath-schools.     The  man  was  under  conviction, 


APPENDIX.  109 

but  did  not  find  Jesus.  His  wife  has  family  worship 
every  day  now.  That  man  is  also  out  of  popery,  and  his 
whole  family  ;  I  hope  they  all  found  Jesus. 

In  another  settlement  I  held  meetings  sometimes  among 
Koman-cathoHcs  and  Protestants  ;  brought  them  many 
tracts,  good  books,  and  Bibles.  After  that  there  was  re- 
vival of  religion,  and  a  number  of  them  became  converted. 
Some  are  leading  men  now  in  the  Christian  church.  I  am 
acquainted  with  many  who  have  been  brought  up  in  po- 
pish darkness,  not  much  better  than  heathen ;  now  they 
are  happy  Christians.  God  is  sending  us  many  thousands 
of  heathen  right  before  our  door.  God  and  the  angels  are 
looking  down  from  heaven  to  see  what  we  do  for  their 
souls.  Shall  they  be  neglected  right  before  our  doors? 
Are  unconverted  souls  before  our  doors  not  so  much 
worth  as  souls  in  India,  Africa,  or  China  ?  And  be  sure  if 
Christians  do  n't  do  their  duty  to  their  unconverted  neigh- 
bors around  them,  they  will  suffer  for  it  in  the  future. 
Perhaps  they  fight  against  our  Sundays,  or  for  popery, 
and  will  lead  our  children  with  them  to  hell.  God  help  us, 
that  we  do  our  duty  towards  them.  I  am  a  great  friend  of 
missions  among  heathen,  and  my  prayer  has  been  since  I 
was  twelve  years  old,  "Lord,  make  me  a  missionary,  and 
send  me  to  the  heathen."  God  has  heard  my  prayer. 
Christians,  lead  souls  to  Christ,  so  many  as  you  can,  in 
foreign  countries,  but  do  n't  neglect  unconverted  souls  in 
our  own  country.  God  sometimes  saves  souls  through 
the  reading  of  a  tract. 

I  have  labored  a  great  deal  in  revivals.  Ministers  are 
inviting  me  to  come  and  labor  with  them.  I  have  started 
meetings ;  preached  sometimes  two  or  three  weeks  every 
night,  and  on  Sundays  two,  sometimes  three  times ;  and 
through  the  day  I  labored  from  house  to  house  as  a  col- 
porteur.    And  glory  be  to  God  in  the  highest,  he  has 


110  COLPORTAGE. 

saved  and  converted  many  souls.  I  work  for  revival  the 
whole  year.  Thank  God,  great  revivals  are  right  before 
us.  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  working  now  in  many 
places.  I  work  with  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  and  stir 
Christians  up,  and  tell  them  they  shall  lead  sinners  to 
Christ.  But  we  need  colportage  work  everywhere.  There 
is  not  a  whole  town  or  settlement  in  my  field  yet  where 
every  soul  is  converted.  Yes,  not  one-half  from  the  whole 
population  is  yet  converted.  We  need  colportage  labor 
everywhere  through  the  whole  land,  till  Christ  comes  the 
second  time. 

May  nobody  tell  me  about  stopping  colporteur  labor ! 
I  shall,  with  the  help  of  God,  never  stop.  No,  never. 
And  when  my  body  is  lying  in  the  grave  shall  my  soul 
pray  before  God's  throne,  "Lord,  save  souls." 

I  thought  perhaps  I  labor  too  hard  in  the  Lord's  vine- 
yard, and  come  before  it  is  time  in  the  grave ;  but  thank 
God,  he  is  saving  souls,  and  I  am  willing  to  go  home  when 
the  Lord  calls  me.  One  time  I  thought  heaven  is  very 
near  to  me ;  Oh,  I  wish  I  could  go  home  to  glory  just 
now  ;  but  in  a  little  while  I  thought  God's  Spirit  is  telling 
me,  We  can  get  along  very  well  without  you  in  heaven  ; 
but  remember,  your  time  has  not  come  yet ;  we  need  you 
yet  in  Illinois.  You  can  do  more  for  the  Lord's  cause 
there  yet  than  you  can  do  at  home  in  glory.  By-and-by 
you  shall  come  home,  and  rest  from  your  labor ;  but  for 
the  present  we  want  you  to  work  more  for  Jesus  in  Illi- 
nois. Amen,  said  I,  blessed  Jesus ;  I  am  not  my  own ; 
do  as  thou  pleasest ;  work  through  whom  thou  pleasest ; 
but  Oh,  my  Saviour,  save  many  precious  souls  for  thy 
own  name's  sake.     Amen. 

Now  let  me  take  my  basket  with  soul-saving  literature  ; 
let  me  stand  surrounded  on  one  side  by  Jesus  and  those 
that  became  converted  through  the  Tract  Society,  and  on 


APPENDIX.  Ill 

the  other  side  by  Eoman-catholics,  drunkards,  swearers, 
Sabbath-breakers,  and  others.  Now  inquire,  shall  we 
stop  colporteur  work  ?  The  wicked  will  halloo,  Yes  ;  but 
Christians  will  shout  through  the  air,  and  angels  would 
shout  down  here  and  in  glory,  No,  never,  never,  never. 

j.  c.  D. 
While  men  of  such  fiery  zeal  and  tireless  perseverance 
as  above  presented  can  be  found,  colportage  will  never 
lack  friends,  nor  be  without  God's  blessing. 


Hard  Work  and  its  Fruits.  A  fearless  pioneer,  who,  for 
eleven  years,  has  toiled  in  the  mountains  of  East  Tennes- 
see, the  swamps  of  Arkansas  and  southeastern  Missouri, 
the  wilds  of  Iowa,  and  the  plains  of  Kansas,  shrinking 
from  no  toil  and  avoiding  no  self-denial,  gives  an  impres- 
sive account  "of  streams  swam,  mountains  climbed,  caves 
penetrated,  swamps  threaded,  and  exposures  endured ; 
but  the  lost  were  found,  the  weak  strengthened,  the  dying 
comforted,  and  the  preparatory  work  done,  resulting  in 
the  organization  of  several  churches.  In  one  portion  of 
my  field  one-half  the  families  were  destitute  of  Bibles, 
and  all  religious  books,  with  but  few  schools,  and  fewer 
churches.  Yet  here  I  sold  and  gave  several  hundred  dol- 
lars' worth  of  books,  organized  Sabbath-schools  wherever 
I  could  find  one  suitable  person  to  take  charge  of  each, 
and  employed  four  other  colporteurs  who  prosecuted  the 
work  in  the  swamps,  until  sickness  or  death  closed  their 
labors.  But  the  good  seed  brought  forth  a  rich  harvest. 
Two  years  after  my  labors  there,  I  learned  from  one  of 
my  fellow-laborers  that  a  church  had  sprung  from  nearly 
every  Sabbath-school  formed,  and  a  presbytery  had  grown 
mainly  out  of  this  forerunning  work.  Another  colporteur 
told  me  he  had  organized  several  churches  since  closing  his 


112  COLPORTAGE. 

labors,  and  that  a  new  impetus  had  been  given  to  religion 
and  a  new  cast  to  society  through  this  agency."   d.  m.  s. 

How  feeble  a  conception  does  such  a  recital  as  above,  give 
of  the  days  of  toil  and  nights  of  sleeplessness,  the  exposure 
to  sun,  and  rain,  and  malaria,  to  coarse  food  and  the  coarser 
conduct  of  the  people  ;  to  insult  and  abuse,  and  the  heart- 
lessness  of  even  some  professed  Christians,  which  were  en- 
dured in  order  to  reach  these  neglected  thousands.  Col- 
portage  is  no  holiday  sport,  but  stern,  hard  work.  The 
incarnate  Saviour  trod  no  pathway  of  flowers,  nor  should 
his  followers  desire  an  easier  lot. 


A  Day's  Work  and  Us  Results,  as  narrated  by  a  colpor- 
teur, who  for  thirteen  years  and  three  months  has  faith- 
fully toiled,  travelling  nineteen  thousand  miles,  often  on 
foot,  visiting  seventeen  thousand  families,  and  circulating 
$5, 300  worth  of  good  books,  demand  a  record.  It  was  a 
winter  day,  the  snow  deep,  and  the  wind  bitterly  cold. 
His  first  call  was  cheerless,  a  young  man  scorning  his  ex- 
hortations and  sneering  at  religion  while  he  prayed  with 
the  family.  His  next  visit  was  to  a  husband  and  wife 
backslidden  from  religion,  but  tearful  when  he  left.  Sev- 
en more  families  were  visited,  and  not  one  person  found 
who  loved  the  Saviour.  As  night  drew  on  and  the  cold 
increased,  he  could  find  no  place  of  rest  and  entertain- 
ment, being  repeatedly  refused.  At  length,  in  deep  dark- 
ness and  almost  exhausted,  he  found  a  home  and  a  Chris- 
tian welcome  ;  but  dispirited  and  wayworn,  and  tempted 
to  give  up  so  hard  a  work.  In  after-years,  a  subsequent 
visit  revealed  these  facts  :  the  backsliders  were  reclaimed, 
and  walking  in  Christ,  the  sneering  youth  had  become  a 


APPENDIX.  113 

preacher,  a  revival  had  followed,  a  church  was  organized 
in  the  neighborhood,  and  he  was  assured  that  the  start- 
ing-point of  it  all  was  that  wintry  day's  work.  God  be 
praised  that  he  can  use  so  feeble  instrumentality  in  so 
great  a  work.  t.  p.  b. 


The  Power  of  the  Press  among  the  Destitute  is  well  illus- 
trated by  the  letter  of  a  brother  who  labored  as  colporteur 
for  eighteen  years  in  Central  Virginia,  until  the  war.  He 
describes  the  state  of  society  when  he  commenced,  the  pau- 
city of  good  books,  the  masses  of  ignorant  people,  the  prev- 
alence of  crime,  the  want  of  Sabbath-schools,  and  the  ina- 
bility of  the  ministry  to  reach  even  half  the  people  with 
sacred  instruction  ;  and  then  shows  how  faithful  and  toil- 
some labor  from  house  to  house,  year  after  year,  in  many 
places  brought  almost  the  entire  population  under  gospel 
influences,  aided  the  churches,  multiplied  Sabbath-schools, 
and  put  a  new  face  on  society.  He  closes  with  the  words, 
'•'  I  am  fully  convinced  that  there  is  a  power  in  the  system 
of  union  colportage  cooperating  with  the  churches  of 
Christ  which  is  indispensable  for  the  speedy  evangelization 
of  the  destitute  millions. 

"  TvTe  have  a  special  duty  in  regard  to  the  press  used  now 
so  extensively  for  evil.  Its  power  for  good  is  unlimited, 
especially  among  those  beyond  the  reach  of  the  living 
ministry,  who  with  ability  to  read,  are  yet  starving  for 
mental  food."  c.  a.  r. 


TJie  permeating  and  attracting  power  of  union  colportage 
is  well  presented  by  one  who  has  labored  long  in  North 
Carolina.  "A  prudent  colporteur,"  he  declares,  "can  go 
into  any  and  every  family  in  his  field.  Wealth,  intelli- 
gence, high  position  in  society,  commanding  influence  for 

Colportage.  8 


114  COLPOHTAGE. 

good  or  evil,  poverty,  ignorance,  vice,  want,  with  all  their 
train  of  sorrows  and  all  their  dark  abodes  of  misery,  alike 
claim  and  alike  meet  his  visit ;  while,  '  Lo  I  am  with  you 
alway,'  encourages,  directs,  sustains,  protects,  prospers, 
blesses  him.  He  acts  as  a  moral  leveller  for  society,  soften- 
ing down  the  self-sufficiency  of  the  rich,  and  elevating  the 
poor  to  a  feeling  of  self-respect,  a  sense  of  duty  and  ac- 
countability to  God.  He  comes  to  all  as  a  friend.  He 
sees  their  wants,  and  makes  himself  one  of  each  family  in 
plan,  in  effort,  in  encouragement  to  get  good  and  do  good. 
Whole  famihes  have  followed  me  from  house  to  house  to 
see  the  books  and  to  hear  about  Jesus  ;  and  in  the  long 
winter  evenings  three  or  four  families  would  meet  me  at 
my  lodging-place  for  reading,  exhortation,  and  prayer.  I 
once  held  a  prayer-meeting  by  torchlight  at  a  gold  mine, 
the  first  ever  known  there  ;  and  for  three  days  went  from 
cabin  to  cabin,  and  shaft  to  shaft,  talking,  praying,  and 
distributing  tracts.  In  a  year  and  a  half  thereafter  a 
church  of  twenty-eight  members  was  organized  of  these 
same  miners." 

After  enumerating  many  instances  of  conversion,  he 
adds,  "Thus  colportage  diffuses  knowledge  among  the 
ignorant,  aids  in  learning  to  read,  tells  the  simple  truths 
of  Christ,  helps  the  people  to  comprehend  the  gospel, 
cherishes  the  movings  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  aids  in  building 
up  churches,  and  hastens  the  conversion  of  the  world  to 
God."  j.  n.  A. 


The  advantages  of  the  union  element  in  this  agency  are 
strongly  presented  by  a  clerical  colporteur,  who  has  la- 
bored some  years  in  a  mountainous  region  of  New  Eng- 
land :  "Is  it  not  Christian  charity?  is  it  not  obedience  to 
the  commands  of  Christ?  is  it  not  in  accordance  with  the 


APPENDIX.  115 

spirit  and  agencies  of  the  gospel,  to  reach  these  destitu- 
tions with  the  common  salvation,  and  urge  men  to  flee 
from  the  wrath  to  come  ?  This  scheme,  from  the  broad 
platform  of  evangelical  truth  and  unstinted  charity  which 
it  occupies,  meets  a  hearty  welcome.  It  builds  no  line 
fences.  It  does  not  assort  the  people,  seeking  for  this  or 
that  sect.  It  exalts  Christ,  and  seeks  to  win  the  soul  and 
fit  it  for  heaven.  None  regard  it  as  sectarian  but  those 
who  are  intensely  so  themselves;  none  bring  against  it 
'  a  railing  accusation '  except  those  who  rail  at  all  that  is 
lovely  and  of  good  report.  Such  are  the  deep  convictions 
which  years  of  service  among  all  classes  of  people  have 
produced."  a.  l. 


TESTIMONY  OF  EXPEEIENCE. 

A  venerable  father,  who  has  labored  eighteen  years  as 
agent,  writes  :  The  minds  originating  colportage  must 
have  been  directed  from  heaven.  It  came  into  being  in 
an  important  crisis  in  our  national  history,  when  onr 
broad  country  was  filling  up  with  a  rapidity  unparalleled 
in  the  history  of  the  world,  and  from  all  nations,  trained 
under  different  forms  of  government,  and  of  different  reli- 
gions, a  heterogeneous  mass,  including  much  ignorance 
and  error.  The  system  in  its  development  met  an  emer- 
gency, and  supplied  a  great  and  pressing  need.  Even  in 
portions  of  New  York  state  over  which  I  have  annually 
passed,  this  need  is  seen.  On  either  side  of  a,  mountain 
lying  nearly  parallel  with  the  Hudson,  rises  a  tier  of 
churches,  each  covering  six  or  eight  miles  square.  Of  the 
two  to  three  hundred  families  nominally  belonging  to  each 
church,  not  more  than  eighty  to  a  hundred  attend  regu- 
larly ;  while  in  the  mountain  gorges  there  are  many  hun- 


116  COLPOLITAGE. 

dreds  who  never  visit  the  sanctuary,  living  and  dying  with- 
out hope.  These  would  have  gone  to  the  judgment  unpre- 
pared, had  you  not  sent  a  faithful  colporteur  to  seek  them 
out.  Great  good  has  followed  his  labors,  and  many  souls 
have  been  converted.  Similar  instances  have  occurred  in 
many  parts  of  my  field. 

An  intelligent  and  candid  Romanist  remarked  to  me, 
"You  Protestants  make  no  headway  by  preaching  and 
writing  against  our  system  ;  but  your  colporteurs,  warm- 
hearted and  zealous,  coming  into  our  families,  talking 
with  parents  and  children,  praying  for  each,  and  leaving 
books  and  tracts  which  undermine  the  power  of  the  priests 
and  destroy  our  faith  in  ceremonies,  will  succeed,  and  we 
have  reason  to  tremble."  Many,  I  know,  have  thus  been 
rescued.     Press  on  in  your  work.     It  is  of  God.      c.  r. 


Of  colportage  as  an  aid  to  the  ministry  in  the  evangeliza- 
tion of  our  land,  a  layman  of  spirit  as  gentle  as  that  of  the 
beloved  disciple  thus  speaks  :  In  the  conduct  of  colpor- 
tage as  superintendent  and  as  a  participant  in  its  personal 
labors,  with  a  knowledge  of  its  practical  working  from  the 
beginning,  I  cannot  doubt  it  was  raised  up  in  the  church 
and  ordained  of  God  as  a  principal  coadjutor  of  the  minis-, 
try  in  the  evangelization  of  our  country.  Over  oiu-  land 
are  scattered  those  of  every  variety  of  religious  opinion, 
from  the  simplest  Christian  faith  to  the  most  absurd  infi- 
del error — all  creeds  and  sects,  to  but  few  of  whom  any 
one  of  the  others  can  be  useful,  because  of  the  recognized 
differences  and  disbeliefs  that  separate  them.  But  col- 
portage finds  its  laborers  welcomed  by  many,  courteously 
received  and  listened  to  by  almost  all.  ' '  With  no  creed 
but  the  Bible,  and  no  insignia  but  the  cross,"  it  approaches 
very  nearly  in  form  and  spirit  the  example  of  the  Saviour 


APPENDIX.  117 

and  bis  immediate  disciples,  who,  rendering  unto  God  and 
to  Cassar  their  appropriate  homage,  "went  about  doing 
good."  This  catholic  and  cardinal  feature  of  the  work, 
characterizing  it  from  the  beginning,  illustrates  divine 
wisdom  in  its  origin,  and  wonderfully  adapts  it  to  supply 
the  destitutions  of  a  mixed  population  in  need  of  the  gos- 
pel. The  Christian  church  to-day  needs  an  army  of 
ordained  missionaries  for  distant  and  destitute  regions, 
and  yet  has  not  enough  to  fill  its  pulpits  already  estab- 
lished ;  and  with  the  large  ratio  of  increase  in  our  popula- 
tion, when  will  it  ever  overtake  and  supply  this  want  of 
an  educated  ministry  ?  The  perishing  multitude  cannot 
await  their  coming.  But  colportage  provides  a  remedy ; 
it  drafts  its  laborers  from  the  rank  and  file  of  all  the 
churches,  from  a  myriad  of  soldiers,  among  whom  thou- 
sands may  be  found  to  obey  the  summons  and  go  forth, 
not  to  fill  pulpits,  but  yet  to  preach  Jesus,  in  the  house, 
by  the  way,  to  one,  to  many,  to  all  who  can  be  reached  by 
visit,  or  voice,  or  printed  page,  so  that  none,  if  the  church 
so  willed  it,  need  long  remain  without  the  gospel.  Its 
economy  commends  it.  It  employs  humble  laymen, 
known,  beloved,  and  welcomed  by  those  among  whom 
they  labor ;  they  ask  only  for  ' '  food  and  raiment, "  and 
are  "therewith  content."  Many  of  them  have  homes  of 
their  own,  and  seem  especially  raised  up  by  Providence 
and  directed  to  their  particular  work.  By  such  means  the 
gospel  can  be  carried  to  the  masses  of  the  destitute  and 
neglected,  under  favorable  circumstances  for  doing  them 
good,  and  at  little  cost. 

In  the  history  of  the  past,  there  has  never  been  a  time 
when  the  tendency  of  the  Christian  church  was  so  cor- 
dially towards  union  of  heart  and  effort  for  the  spread  of 
the  gospel.  The  great  army  of  the  church,  though  mar- 
shalled in  different  divisions,  are  recognizing  more  fully 


118  COLPORTAGE. 

one  governing  object  under  our  great  Leader.  In  col- 
portage  they  have  at  their  disposal  a  union  missionary 
agency,  providentially  provided,  approved  and  beloved, 
which,  cooperating  with  the  Christian  ministry,  furnishes 
the  means  for  the  speedy  and  complete  evangelization  of 
the  destitute  masses  of  our  population,  and  the  redemp- 
tion of  our  country  from  its  heavy  and  increasing  burdens, 
the  fruit  of  irreligion  and  crime.  o.  d.  g. 


TJxe  origin  and  practical  working  of  colportage  is  present- 
ed by  one  who  has  spent  years  in  collecting  means  for  its 
prosecution,  and  observed  its  usefulness. 

In  early  times  the  gospel  was  propagated  by  three  prin- 
cipal agencies — oral  preaching,  catechetical  instruction, 
and  personal  effort.  The  invention  of  printing  synchro- 
nizing with  the  great  Reformation,  called  into  being  col- 
portage, the  carrying  of  books  from  city  to  city,  from  town 
to  town,  from  village  to  village,  and  even  from  house  to 
house,  which  was  soon  discovered  to  be  a  powerful  means 
of  spreading  the  evangelical  doctrines.  Colportage  then  is 
not  a  new  system,  but  as  old  as  printing  and  Protestant- 
ism. It  is  the  oldest  of  all  our  modern  schemes  of  evan- 
gelism. It  antedates  Sunday-schools,  Bible,  Tract,  and 
Missionary  Societies.  In  our  country  it  has  found  a 
broader  field  for  expansion,  and  has  developed  new  capa- 
bilities of  usefulness,  combining  several  distinct  elements 
of  power.  The  colporteur  is  not  only  a  bookseller  and 
tract  distributor,  but  a  Bible  reader,  a  lay  preacher,  and  a 
personal  laborer  for  Christ. 

"There  is  our  pastor,"  said  an  intelligent  layman  ;  "he 
preaches  good,  well-studied,  and  powerful  sermons ;  but 
his  studies  leave  him  but  little  time  for  pastoral  work 


APPENDIX.  119 

among  the  people.  And  there  is  Brother  H ,  a  colpor- 
teur of  the  American  Tract  Society.  He  goes  out  with  his 
wagon-load  of  tracts  and  books,  calling  at  every  house. 
He  talks  with  the  people,  in  his  plain,  earnest  way,  about 
personal  religion,  reads  the  Bible  to  them,  and  offers  a 
short  prayer.  He  goes  over  this  whole  parish,  over  the 
town,  the  country,  just  in  that  way.  He  is  a  '  house-to- 
house  '  preacher.  And  none  can  doubt  that  he,  and  such 
as  he,  are  doing  a  vast  amount  of  good  for  the  country  and 
for  the  cause  of  Christ. " 

This  is  the  distinctive  mission  of  the  American  Tract 
Society — to  send  these  house  and  wayside  preachers  into 
every  part  of  the  land.  There  is  room  enough  for  this 
special  agency,  and  there  is  no  lack  of  opportunity,  w.  v.  c. 


The  power  of  colportage,  as  an  auxiliary,  is  thus  present- 
ed by  one  who,  in  the  spirit  of  Harlan  Page,  has  devoted 
his  entire  energy  to  its  expansion  for  more  than  a  score  of 
years : 

From  my  own  experience  in  the  work,  and  from  what  I 
have  seen  and  know  of  its  results  for  more  than  twenty 
years,  I  believe  that  the  system  of  union  missionary  col- 
portage embodies  a  mighty  power  for  good  ;  and  if  used 
by  the  churches  of  Christ  generally  in  connection  with  the 
personal  efforts  of  each  individual  Christian,  under  the 
guidance  of  faithful  pastors,  I  cannot  doubt  its  adaptation 
to  reach,  and  with  the  promised  aid  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
speedily  to  evangelize  the  millions  of  our  outlying  and 
destitute  population.  May  the  Lord  greatly  succeed  every 
effort  to  increase  and  extend  the  efficiency  of  this  blessed 
enterprise.  s.  w.  s. 


120  COLPORTAGE. 

The  writer  of  the  following  has  not  only  labored  in  the 
colporteur  work  from  its  origin,  but  was  one  of  the  instru- 
ments, in  the  hands  of  God,  in  its  origination.  He  had 
prosecuted  with  large  success  the  "  volume  enterprise  " — 
the  effort  to  supply  churches  and  pastors  with  evangelical 
libraries  in  which  the  Society  was  engaged  from  1837  to 
1841,  and  saw,  as  did  others,  that  this  work  left  a  large 
proportion  of  the  families,  and  the  most  needy  ones,  un- 
supplied,  and  hence  that  some  system  of  missionary  visi- 
tation must  be  devised  which  would  reach  them.  When 
the  work  commenced,  its  first  colporteurs  were  placed 
under  his  care,  and  he  has  superintended  the  enterprise 
over  four  states  ever  since. 

After  enumerating  the  need  and  the  toils  of  the  work 
on  his  field,  he  gives  many  instances  of  rich  blessing,  and 
adds  :  A  German  colporteur,  who  labored  for  many  years 
successfully  in  Cincinnati,  afterwards  became  a  minister, 
and  gathered  a  church  of  more  than  five  hundred  commu- 
nicants on  the  field  of  his  former  labors,  and  is  now  its 
faithful  pastor.  As  I  recall  the  names  and  labors  of  more 
than  twelve  hundred  colporteurs  who  have  been  connect- 
ed •with  this  agency  for  a  longer  or  shorter  period  of  time 
during  the  last  twenty-five  years,  I  rejoice  that  the  evi- 
dence of  the  grace  of  God  in  their  hearts  and  his  blessing 
upon  their  labors  is  so  abundant.  Many  who  have  devo- 
ted a  few  months  or  years  to  the  colporteur  work  have 
been  led  to  a  more  entire  consecration  of  their  lives  to  the 
spiritual  good  of  their  race,  have  sought  college  and  sem- 
inary learning,  and  are  now  preaching  the  gospel.  Some 
have  finished  their  work  on  earth,  and  rest  from  their 
labors.  s.  w. 


APPENDIX.  121 

One  who,  with  a  quick  eye  to  discern  and  a  warm  heart 
to  appreciate  the  need  of  such  an  agency,  has  prosecuted 
the  work  with  a  quiet  and  persistent  energy  for  twenty 
years,  gives  a  full  sketch  of  the  states  over  which  his 
superintendency  reaches,  and  urges  the  value  of  the  work 
from  its  aggressive  character : 

Indifference  to  Christ  and  his  claims  is  the  great  cause 
of  the  slow  progress  of  Christianity.  Men,  like  the  sol- 
diers at  the  foot  of  the  cross,  are  utterly  careless  and 
regardless  of  his  sufferings  for  them.  Churches  stand 
within  sight  of  their  doors,  the  gospel  is  faithfully  and 
earnestly  preached,  but  they  hear  it  or  heed  it  not.  Men 
do  not  want  the  gospel,  else  our  churches  would  overflow. 
These  careless  ones  are  the  subjects  of  colportage.  The 
truth  must  be  carried  to  them  and  pressed  upon  them, 
and  they  mint  be  pulled  out  of  the  fire.  To  this  work  we 
have  on  my  field  devoted  nearly  five  hundred  years  of 
Christian  labor,  have  made  a  million  and  a  half  of  Chris- 
tian family  visits,  and  have  put  into  the  hands  of  the  peo- 
ple nearly  four  millions  of  volumes  of  pungent  truth, 
accompanied  by  constant  effort  for  their  salvation.  Great 
and  most  blessed  have  been  the  results  ;  but  this  aggres- 
sive work  will  be  needed  so  long  as  the  multitudes  fail  to 
come  to  the  house  of  God.  h.  n.  t. 


Our  remaining  witness  under  this  head,  laboring  in  the 
Northwest,  speaks  with  the  intense  earnestness  with  which 
he  works  ;  and  no  man  whose  soul  is  not  on  fire  with  love 
to  Christ  can  work  as  he  does.  Combining  good  judg- 
ment, strong  faith,  and  vehement  energy,  he  has  met  with 


122  COLPORTAGE. 

large  and  increasing  success.     His  statement  is  most  im- 
pressive : 

In  the  fall  of  1842,  I  was  introduced  to  the  Tract  House 
at  150  Nassau-street,  New  York,  and  was  informed  that  my 
home  would  be  with  Secretaries  Hallock  and  Eastman, 
then  living  in  adjoining  nouses,  while  I  should  study  the 
documents  of  the  Society  and  prepare  a  discourse  embody- 
ing my  views  of  the  importance  of  religious  reading  as  a 
means  of  grace,  and  the  work  of  the  American  Tract  Soci- 
ety in  giving  that  means  of  grace  to  our  own  country  and 
the  world. 

Seventeen  years  of  my  life  have  been  devoted  to  this 
service,  during  which  time  I  have  labored  in  twelve  states 
and  travelled  about  one  hundred  thousand  miles,  of  which 
about  forty  thousand  were  traversed  with  a  horse  and 
buggy  over  the  prairies  of  the  West,  extending  into  Kan- 
sas, Nebraska,  and  Minnesota.  Many  thousands  of  fami- 
lies have  been  visited  at  their  firesides,  business  men  have 
been  consulted  at  their  offices,  and  pastors  in  their  studies, 
making  in  all  not  far  from  one  hundred  thousand  personal 
visits.  Every  phase  of  society  has  passed  in  review,  and 
all  classes  and  conditions  of  men  have  been  visited  at  their 
own  homes.  As  the  result  of  all  these  labors,  the  follow- 
ing conclusions  have  grown  and  become  established  in  my 
mind : 

1.  Colportage  is  a  necessity  in  this  country.  The  larger 
portion  of  the  population,  in  almost  every  section,  have  no 
identification  with  the  established  means  of  grace,  and 
most  of  these  careless  millions  never  enter  any  place  of 
worship.  Many  thousands  of  families  live  beyond  the 
reach  of  all  church  organizations,  where  they  cannot,  if 
they  would,  attend  church  ;  while  in  the  villages  and  small 
cities,  where  two  or  more  churches  of  different  denomina- 


APPENDIX.  123 

tions  are  started,  there  is  great  mutual  jealousy  of  prose- 
lytism,  whereby  both  pastors  and  people  are  restrained 
from  searching  after  the  careless  and  the  wandering. 
There  is,  therefore,  a  necessity  for  some  agency,  auxiliary 
to  the  organized  churches,  which  can  go  to  all  men  in  Je- 
sus' name,  and  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  go  to  every  one. 
I  have  often  travelled  over  miles  by  hundreds  without 
finding  any  place  where  a  religious  book  could  be  bought. 
Bookselling  is  followed  for  its  profits,  and  cannot  be  sus- 
tained where  there  are  few  people  to  buy.  These  vast 
destitutions  of  religious  reading  must  therefore  continue 
so  long  as  the  population  of  so  large  a  portion  of  our  coun- 
try is  but  from  three  to  twelve  persons  to  the  square  mile, 
and  so  long  as  there  shall  remain  millions  of  acres  unoc- 
cupied. 

Without  attempting  to  give  definite  figures,  I  feel  sure 
that  at  this  present  time  not  one  half  of  the  families  in 
this  great  Northwest  could  find  a  place  where  to  buy  a 
religious  book,  except  the  Bible,  without  travelling  a 
journey,  the  time  and  expense  of  which  would  amount  to 
the  cost  of  a  very  fair  family  library.  Add  to  this  the 
ignorance  and  carelessness  of  these  masses  in  respect  to 
everything  pertaining  to  their  souls'  interest,  and  you  will 
not  wonder  that  only  one-seventh  of  the  population  are 
numbered  among  the  people  of  God  ;  and  you  will  see  in 
these  moral  desolations  the  absolute  necessity  for  some 
such  agency  as  colportage  to  reach  the  people  at  their 
own  firesides,  and  "  compel  them  to  come  in." 

There  still  remains  unoccupied  territory  stretching  off 
fifteen  hundred  miles  westward  to  the  Pacific,  south  to 
Mexico,  and  north  to  the  British  possessions,  making  per- 
haps two  millions  of  square  miles,  tillable  and  unoccu- 
pied. A  mighty  tide  of  immigration  flows  from  the  set- 
tlements into  these  vast  wildernesses  continually.     I  am 


124  COLPORTAGE. 

to-day  laboring  among  six  millions  of  people,  where  but 
twenty  years  ago  there  were  only  about  two  millions.  I 
have  chased  the  frontiers  of  civilization  westward  over  two 
hundred  miles,  and  gave  it  up  when  they  took  one  grand 
stride  of  five  hundred  miles  to  the  golden  mountains  of 
Colorado.  What  but  a  ministry  "  settled  on  horseback  " 
can  meet  the  necessities  of  such  a  country?  When  will 
the  floating,  ever-increasing  millions  of  these  wide  wastes 
be  supplied  with  religious  reading,  if  they  wait  for  the 
location  of  a  bookseller  within  reach  ?  Surely  as  a  fireside 
lay  agency,  colportage  is  an  absolute  necessity  in  these  vast 
fields,  and  must,  in  the  nature  of  the  case,  continue  to  be 
a  necessity  until  the  country  shall  become  well  settled. 

2.  Union  missionary  colportage  is  particularly  adapted 
to  the  sparse  populations  of  our  new  settlements.  I  have 
travelled  hundreds  of  miles  where  families  were  so  scat- 
tered that  a  congregation  of  fifty  persons  could  scarcely 
anywhere  be  gathered,  even  though  all  the  families  within 
five  miles  were  to  assemble.  Among  these  multitudes  I 
have  labored  from  house  to  house  and  from  man  to  man, 
at  the  fireside,  in  the  field,  the  workshop  and  the  office, 
and  on  the  highways,  of  ten  -  meeting  with  persons  who 
would  pour  their  long  pent-up  anxieties  and  solicitudes 
into  my  ears,  saying,  "Sir,  you  are  the  first  man  that  ever 
came  to  my  house  to  talk  to  me  about  eternal  things. 
My  soul  has  been  full  of  doubts  and  fears,  and  I  have 
longed  for  some  one  with  whom  to  talk.  What  shall  I  do 
to  be  saved?"  I  am  convinced,  from  the  frequency  of 
these  revelations,  that  the  land  is  full,  and  always  will  be 
full,  of  persons  troubled  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  anxious 
for  some  one  to  come  and  lead  them  to  Jesus.  The  man 
of  God  who  shall  come  to  such  persons  in  the  name  of  the 
saving  Jesus  only,  is  always  a  welcome  messenger. 
"  I  have  found  in  the  new  settlements  that  these  who  had 


APPENDIX.  125 

been  identified  with  the  church  in  their  former  homes 
carry  with  them  their  denominational  prejudices  intensi- 
fied, and  when  perhaps  nine  out  of  every  ten  such  persons 
would  at  best  give  a  colporteur  of  any  other  branch  of  the 
church  than  their  own  a  cool  reception,  I  have  in  nine 
times  out  of  ten  met  with  a  kindly  and  cordial  reception 
and  earnest  invitation  to  call  again,  after  the  nature  of  my 
mission  and  labors  was  understood  ;  and  this  has  been 
the  uniform  testimony  of  thosfe  associated  with  me,  some 
of  whom  have  been  engaged  in  denominational  labors. 
Among  those  never  identified  with  the  church,  the  catho- 
licity of  this  enterprise  is  a  universal  commendation  often 
commanding  attention  when  every  other  consideration  fails. 
Untrammelled  by  a  necessity  to  defend  the  tenets  of  any 
particular  body  of  believers,  the  colporteur  appears  every- 
where to  plead  with  men  in  Christ's  name,  sustained  by  the 
ichole  force  of  the  evangelical  church,  as  he  persuades  them 
to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come,  and  accept  mercy,  pardon, 
and  eternal  life.  Avoiding  all  controversies,  the  colpor- 
teur comes  directly  to  the  subject  of  personal  salvation, 
and  pleads  with  men  to  be  reconciled  to  God.  Having  no 
interest  in  profits  from  the  sale  of  books,  he  recommends 
those  best  calculated  in  every  case  to  compass  the  end  of 
salvation  or  edification,  and  sells  books  only  and  always 
as  a  means  of  grace.  Being  himself  fully  and  heartily 
converted  to  God  and  consecrated  to  his  service,  he  wastes 
no  time  and  sacrifices  no  friendships  or  interests  by  plead- 
ing the  advantages  of  this  or  that  branch  of  the  church, 
but  heartily  commends  every  one  to  be  fully  persuaded  in 
his  own  mind,  and  works  with  equal  satisfaction  with  any 
and  all  who  love  the  Lord  Jesus.  Having  himself  escaped 
the  snare  of  the  fowler  and  found  peace  in  believing,  and 
carrying  always  about  with  him  the  dying  of  the  Lord  Je- 
sus, he  goes  to  every  man  in  Christ's  stead  to  plead  for  his 


126  COLPOltTAGE. 

best,  his  eternal  interests.  Appreciating  the  danger  and 
the  only  way  of  salvation,  he  exemplifies  the  true  benefi- 
cence of  the  gospel  in  his  own  person,  and  by  his  zeal  and 
earnestness  confounds  infidelity,  commands  confidence 
and  sympathy,  and  conquers  success  everywhere,  Thus 
the  adaptation  of  union  colportage  to  the  universal  wants 
of  this  sparse,  headlong,  and  godless  people,  is  demon- 
strated. 

3.  The  wide  range  and  Messed  results  of  our  work  are 
most  cheering.  It  has  always  been  a  source  of  unbounded 
satisfaction  to  me  to  read  and  study  the  publications  of 
this  Society,  and  feel  and  be  able  to  say,  without  the  least 
hesitation  or  reserve,  here  is  sound,  reliable,  practical 
religious  instruction,  exactly  adapted  to  the  great  pur- 
poses of  religious  reading.  I  have  personally  canvassed 
villages,  cities,  towns,  and  counties,  and  systematically 
supplied  every  family  with  something,  from  a  tract  to  a 
pastor's  library.  I  have  enjoyed  the  cooperation  of  pas- 
tors, who  have  visited  with  me  every  family  within  three 
to  six  miles  of  their  churches.  I  have  found  families  in  the 
wildernesses  of  Missouri  and  Iowa  whose  only  reading  was 
the  religious  books  or  tracts  obtained  from  colporteurs  of 
this  Society  in  some  eastern  or  southern  state  ;  and  I  have 
found  missionaries  in  the  great  West  who  have  swept  their 
fingers  over  the  Pastor's  Library,  saying,  ' '  There  is  where 
I  learned  my  theology."  I  have  visited  thousands  of  men 
in  the  camps  and  hospitals  of  our  armies,  and  circulated, 
personally  and  with  the  aid  of  those  associated  with  me, 
many  hundreds  of  thousands  of  these  publications  among 
the  soldiers. 

I  know  that  these  laborers  and  distributions  have  ex- 
tended to  all  varieties  of  settlements  and  to  all  classes  of 
people.  They  have  been  among  the  miners  of  Michigan, 
Illinois,  and  Missouri ;  in  the  pineries  of  Wisconsin  and 


APPENDIX.  127 

Minnesota ;  upon  the  rafts,  flat-boats,  and  steamboats  of 
our  rivers,  and  the  steamboats  and  shipping  of  our  lakes  ; 
and  in  the  pioneer  settlements  along  the  rivers  and  in  the 
prairies  and  timber  of  all  the  northwestern  states.  They 
have  been  into  the  homes  of  the  rich  and  the  poor,  the 
mansions  of  the  masters,  and  the  cabins  of  the  slaves. 
These  publications  have  been  sown  broadcast  in  all  parts 
of  the  land,  and  are  often  found  to  be  the  only  reading  in 
the  house,  and  constituting  one  great  staple  in  the  reli- 
gious influences  among  the  people.  Some  of  the  results 
may  be  noted. 

The  demand  for  aid  to  Sabbath-schools  has  always  been 
large,  and  of  late  years  rapidly  on  the  increase.  Some  of 
the  colporteurs  find  their  time  largely  occupied  in  organ- 
izing new  schools,  and  visiting  and  encouraging  old  ones 
and  replenishing  their  libraries.  They  are  instructed  to 
do  what  they  can  to  encourage  schools  where  they  find 
them,  and  to  organize  schools  where  none  exist  within 
practicable  distance  ;  and  nearly  all  of  them  report  every 
quarter  more  or  less  schools  organized  or  assisted.  We 
regard  this  as  one  of  the  important  branches  of  our  work 
never  to  be  overlooked. 

In  accordance  with  our  instructions,  with  which  we  are 
fully  in  sympathy,  it  is  always  a  duty  in  which  we  find 
hearty  delight,  to  encourage  and  aid  missionaries  and  all 
ministerial  brethren  who  have  need  of  our  assistance,  in 
their  pastoral  and  fireside  labors.  Hence  our  records 
show  long  lists  of  grants  to  these  brethren,  and  our  files 
contain  many  most  cherished  words  of  gratitude  and  en- 
couragement. We  regret  that  the  disposition  and  ability 
to  use  the  press  in  their  work  are  so  little  developed,  and 
that  the  value  of  the  press  as  an  evangelical  help  is  so 
little  appreciated  by  many  brethren,  but  rejoice  in  a  grow- 
ing interest  in  that  direction. 


128  COLPORTAGE. 

One  of  the  natural  fruits  of  our  labors  in  these  pioneer 
districts  is  the  organized  church.  A  colporteur  establishes 
a  prayer-meeting  or  a  Sabbath-school  in  a  log-cabin  in  a 
new  settlement,  where  there  are  perhaps  six  to  ten  or 
twenty  families.  He  watches  over  and  nourishes  the 
spark  he  has  kindled,  until,  in  a  few  months  or  years,  he 
has  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  there  established  a  church 
and  a  flourishing  congregation.  But  there  are  so  many 
elements  working  together  for  and  in  the  creation  of  a 
church,  that  we  can  seldom  say  that  we  have  accomplished 
such  an  organization  ;  yet  there  are  many  cases  in  the 
aggregate  where  churches  have  grown  up  directly  and 
immediately  in  connection  with  the  labors  of  the  colpor- 
teurs. Thus  one  reported  last  year  three  churches  on  his 
field  as  owing  their  existence  to  the  labors  of  colporteurs 
who  preceded  him.  Another  found  himself  engaged  in  a 
series  of  meetings  which  grew  out  of  his  fireside  and  pub- 
lic labors.  A  clergyman  was  called  in  to  conduct  the 
meetings,  and  the  result  was  the  organization  of  a  church. 

I  am  fully  persuaded  that  the  efficient  working  of  the 
plan  of  colportage,  as  now  conducted,  must  necessarily  be 
much  more  fruitful  in  Sabbath-schools  and  prayer-meet- 
ings and  churches,  than  it  has  heretofore  been. 

A  direct  tendency  of  faithful  colporteur  labors  is  to  re- 
vivals. I  enjoyed  once  the  company  of  a  pastor  with  me 
as  I  went  from  house  to  house  among  his  people.  Baxter 
called  successfully  to  the  careless  sinners,  and  Alleine 
alarmed  their  slumbering  consciences.  A  demand  soon 
arose  for  meetings,  which  were  appointed  and  followed 
up.  The  result  was,  an  addition  of  about  one  hundred 
members  to  that  church.  One  member  of  that  church  has 
continued  to  support  a  colporteur  ever  since.  I  was  in- 
formed that  another  revival  followed  the  visitations  and 
labors  in  another  district.     On  one  occasion  I  witnessed 


APPENDIX.  129 

the  evident  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  and  the  conversion  of 
a  soul,  in  the  presentation  of  our  cause  on  Sabbath  morn- 
ing. There  began  a  work  of  grace  which  extended  into 
the  neighboring  country,  and  consumed  my  time  in  daily 
and  nightly  services  for  six  weeks,  hundreds  crowding  to 
the  services. 

There  is  no  more  animating,  thrilling,  glorious,  and 
fruitful  service  than  this  fireside  searching  for  souls,  with 
the  aid  of  the  combined  power  of  the  best  men  in  history. 
I  gave  the  ' '  Call "  to  a  young  man,  and  at  midnight  he 
cried  aloud  to  God  for  mercy,  and  sent  for  his  pastor,  who 
led  him  to  Jesus.  I  sold  Nelson  to  a  gentleman  for  a 
friend  of  his,  who  was  thereby  saved.  Another  told  me 
that  Nelson's  "Cause  and  Cure"  led  both  himself  and  his 
friend  to  the  Saviour.  Another  narrated  to  me  the  cases 
of  six  men,  in  like  manner  converted  by  this  same  book,^ 
bought  from  a  colporteur.  Another,  too  ill  to  leave  his 
bed,  sent  for  a  colporteur  laboring  in  his  vicinity,  to  tell 
him  that  he  owed  his  hope  in  Jesus  to  a  book  and  tract 
left  at  his  house  years  before  by  a  colporteur.  One  writes 
to  me  just  now,  saying,  "The  first  tract.  I  ever  saw  was 
the  means  of  iny  conversion.  I  have  now  labored  for 
twenty-five  years  in  the  prayer-meeting  and  Sabbath- 
school,  and  other  years  in  the  service  of  this  Society 
where  I  have  made  seven  thousand  three  hundred  and 
seventy-three  family  visits,  in  nearly  every  one  of  which  I 
had  religious  conversation.  I  have  talked  and  prayed 
from  morning  to  night,  week  in  and  week  out,  until  I  be- 
came hoarse  and  worn  out."  Another  says,  "  I  left  home 
a  week  ago  to  preach  to  one  of  my  Sabbath-schools.  The 
interest  became  so  great,  I  was  obliged  to  stay  the  entire 
week.  Oh,  what  a  work  the  Lord  has  done  in  so  short  a 
time !  Many  backsliders  have  been  reclaimed  and  sinners 
converted." 

Colportage.  y 


130  COLPORTAGE. 

But  why  enumerate.  Every  month  brings  us  blessed 
tidings  of  souls  converted.  One  man  has  such  power  with 
God  and  with  men  in  his  work,  that  his  victories  and  tri- 
umphs are  constant.  I  arn  satisfied  that  conversions  have 
averaged  at  least  five  for  each  year  of  colporteur  labor  in  this 
field.     Praise  God,  from  whom  all  blessings  flow. 

4.  It  is  my  clear  conviction,  after  twenty-four  years  of 
observation,  study,  and  experience  in  this  great  work,  that 
the  system  of  union  missionary  colportage  possesses  an 
inherent  power  under  God,  which,  properly  cherished, 
used,  and  developed  by  the  church  of  Christ,  must  be 
a  most  efficient  auxiliary  of  the  church,  leading  to  and 
resulting  in  the  bringing  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  to 
the  people,  and  identifying  them  with  the  established 
means  of  grace.  This  system  takes  the  young  men  of  our 
institutions  of  learning,  and  gives  them,  during  their  vaca- 
tions, a  practical  training,  in  personal  contact  with  the 
people  and  in  the  study  of  practical  religious  books,  of 
perhaps  more  value  to  them  in  preparation  for  the  pas- 
toral charge  than  any  other  equal  portions  of  the  whole 
course.  It  takes  a  portion  of  the  lay  talent  of  the  church, 
lying  in  part  or  wholly  undeveloped,  and  employs  it,  not 
only  for  the  profitable  investment  of  itself,  but  in  such 
a  manner  as  to  bring  out  and  set  into  proper  activity  for 
the  cause  of  God  much  more  of  the  similarly  buried  talents 
of  the  church.  It  goes  into  all  the  ramifications  of  soci- 
ety, and  diffuses  among  all  classes  the  personal  influence 
of  faithful  and  zealous  fireside  labors,  stimulating  and 
rousing  to  action  the  dormant  affections  and  energies  of 
believers.  It  plants  in  every  family  a  suitable  religious 
literature,  annually  renewing  the  supply,  forestalling  evil, 
directing  the  tastes  aright,  laying  foundations  in  right- 
eousness, and  erecting  a  barrier  against  the  tides  of  delu- 
sion that  come  continually  sweeping  over  the  land,  threat- 


APPENDIX.  131 

ening  to  prostrate  all  landmarks  and  to  desolate  the 
churches.  It  establishes  in  these  practical  works  and  the 
recurring  faithful  visits  and  prayers  of  the  colporteur  a 
permanent  and  efficient  influence  for  good,  always  present 
and  auxiliary  to  a  faithful  ministry.  Thus  much  it  can  be 
relied  upon  to  do  for  the  church,  while  for  the  world  it 
carries  the  gospel  literally  to  every  creature,  according  to 
the  plan  and  command  of  the  Saviour,  and  is  therefore  in 
sympathy  and  cooperation  with  him,  and  may  be  expect- 
ed to  receive,  as  it  has  enjoyed  hitherto,  his  blessing.  It 
brings  the  gosjDel  to  man  in  its  essential  aspects,  without 
local,  sectional,  or  ecclesiastical  prejudices,  and  com- 
mands the  attention,  interest,  and  confidence  of  those  out- 
lying masses,  pointing  them  directly  and  only  to  Jesus 
and  his  salvation. 

This  plan,  expressed  in  the  language  of  our  times,  is 
union  colportage.  With  a  body  of  devoted  laymen  of 
sound  mind  and  practical  judgment,  equal  in  number  to 
the  counties  of  our  country,  or  to  an  average  population 
of  twenty-five  thousand,  furnished  with  an  adequate  sup- 
ply of  practical  religious  books  adapted  to  all  classes, 
counselled,  encouraged,  and  used  by  pastors  and  the 
churches,  it  seems  that  the  whole  mass  of  the  people 
might  have  the  gospel  brought  to  them,  in  the  Sabbath- 
school,  prayer-meetings,  and  personal  visitations,  within 
a  few  years.  G.  w. 


132  COLPORTAGE. 


TESTIMONY  OF  RETIRED  LABORERS. 

A  minister  in  high  position  in  the  church,  who  labored 
in  Virginia  in  1842,  testifies  :  "  The  catholic  nature  of  my 
work  gave  me  access  to  all  denominations,  and  secured 
the  confidence  and  cooperation  of  good  people  generally. 
Colportage,  conflicting  with  no  good  work,  aids  every  other 
agency.  I  look  back  with  tender  and  precious  memories 
to  the  years  devoted  to  this  work."  s.  b.  s.  b. 


A  beloved  pastor  writes  :  "  I  thank  God  that  I  was  per- 
mitted to  invest  thirteen  years  in  this  work,  laboring  either 
as  a  general  agent  or  a  superintendent  of  colportage.  I 
traversed  repeatedly  Indiana  and  Northern  Ohio,  and  to 
some  extent  Maryland,  Illinois,  Michigan,  Wisconsin, 
Iowa,  Missouri,  Arkansas,  Mississippi, .  and  Louisiana ; 
and  now,  after  an  interval  of  nearly  five  years  spent  in  a 
blessed  pastorate,  it  is  pleasant  in  imagination. to  revisit 
those  wide  fields,  and  live  over  again  the  stirring  scenes 
of  the  tract  agency.  I  would  testify,  as  in  the  sight  of 
God,  to  the  following  points  : 

1.  The  work  sought  to  be  accomplished  was  greatly  needed. 
In  all  those  states  there  was  widespread  spiritual  destitu- 
tion. Vast  numbers  of  families  were  without  any  religious 
reading,  without  stated  preaching,  neither  reached,  nor 
likely  for  a  long  time  to  be  reached,  by  the  ordinary  means 
of  evangelization.  The  more  systematically  and  thorough- 
ly we  explored,  the  more  extensive  and  startling  were  the 
destitutions  revealed.  Facts  of  the  most  humiliating  and 
alarming  character  were  developed.  Wide  districts  were 
found  in  which  ' '  the  people  sat  in  great  darkness  ;"  while 
in  townships  and  counties  supposed  to  be  well  supplied, 


APPENDIX.  133 

our  brethren  going  from  house  to  house  discovered  hun- 
dreds of  families  as  destitute  of  good  books  and  other  gos- 
pel appliances  as  those  living  in  the  wilds  of  Africa.  It 
•was  apparent  also,  that  in  order  to  reach  these  destitute 
ones,  the  people  generally  must  be  visited. 

2.  The  truly  catholic  spirit  and  aim  of  the  work  every- 
where commended  it  to  the  piety  and  the  common  sense 
of  the  people.  The  more  thoroughly  they  understood 
just  what  the  Tract  Society  was  trying  to  do  and  how, 
the  more  heartily  all  who  loved  Christ,  and  all  good  citi- 
zens, bade  it  God-speed.  I  never  visited  a  place  of  any 
importance  where  there  were  not  individuals  ready  to  rise 
up  and  bear  testimony  to  the  adaptation  of  colportage 
to  meet  wants  existing  in  their  own-  immediate  neighbor- 
hood. Said  an  excellent  pastor  in  his  pulpit :  "If  there 
is  in  all  the  land  a  work  suited  to  the  present  religious 
wants  of  the  people — a  work  conceived  and  carried  out  in 
the  very  spirit  of  the  gospel,  it  is  this  book-missionary 
work  of  the  Tract  Society. "  And  thousands  of  times  did 
I  hear  substantially  the  same  sentiments  expressed  pri- 
vately. 

3.  The  blessing  of  God  so  attended  the  work,  that  it  was 
remarkably  successful.  I  know  of  no  evangelizing  enter- 
prise that  has  been  more  successful.  God  only  can  tell 
in  what  great  variety  and  how  widely  it  has  diffused  en- 
lightening and  saving  influences.  It  has  carried  spiritual 
food  to  many  a  famishing  child  of  God,  and  spiritual  light 
and  life  to  many  a  sinner,  who  otherwise  would  have  died 
without  a  knowledge  of  the  Saviour.  The  ignorant  have 
been  instructed,  the  backslider  reclaimed,  the  careless 
awakened,  the  convicted  led  to  Christ,  and  the  dying  pre- 
pared for  the  great  change.  Thus  it  has  been  the  occasion 
of  stirring  up  many  to  pray,  and  furnished  the  means  by 
which  many  a  prayer  has  been  signally  answered.     It  has 


134  COLPORTAGE. 

done  much  to  counteract  skepticism  and  infidelity.  It  has 
sowed  the  seed  of  Sabbath-schools,  churches,  and  other 
permanent  gospel  institutions,  widely  over  the  country. 
Almost  everywhere  its  quiet,  blessed  influence  has  been 
felt,  if  not  realized.  Like  the  silent,  genial  influence  of 
the  sunshine  and  showers,  it  has  moved  multitudes  of  hu- 
man minds  and  hearts  by  the  sweet  but  mighty  forces  of 
light  and  love  ;  and  while  aiding  all  other  Christian  efforts, 
it  has  hindered  none.  No  laborer  for  Christ  and  souls  can 
ever  rise  up  and  say  that  at  any  time,  or  in  any  place,  this 
work  of  union  colportage  has  proved  injurious  to  any  other 
good  work.  While  its  results  have  to  a  great  extent  blend- 
ed with  the  results  of  all  other  Christian  influences,  and 
thus  been  lost  to  our  view,  the  history  of  this  work  is 
written  indelibly  in  the  memories,  consciences,  and  char- 
acter of  immortal  beings".  Could  all  that  has  resulted, 
directly  or  indirectly,  from  this  enterprise  be  at  once  an- 
nihilated, and  every  thing  be  put  back  just  as  it  otherwise 
would  have  been,  a  most  startling  and  calamitous  change 
would  be  witnessed — a  change  that  would  open  all  eyes  to 
the  great  and  wonderful  good  which  God  has  accomplished 
through  this  humble  agency. 

4.  I  see  no  reason  why  this  system  of  union  colportage, 
cooperating  with  the  churches,  may  not  still  be  employed 
with  blessed  results,  till  the  whole  land  shall  be  com- 
pletely evangelized.  It  combines  two  great  elements  of 
power — personal  Christian  effort  and  the  press.  The 
press  'is  certainly  to  be  employed  more  and  more  exten- 
sively to  spread  the  truths  of  the  gospel.  It  cannot  be 
questioned  that  private  Christians  must  continue  to  go 
forth  as  gospel  seed-bearers,  'and  that  they  must  have  a 
more  active,  working,  missionary  spirit,  before  the  gospel 
will  triumph  throughout  the  land.  Who  then  can  doubt 
that  a  combination  of  these  two  great  elements  of  moral 


APPENDIX  135 

power,  in  some  form,  is  to  be  employed  more  extensively 
and  successfully,  till  the  world  shall  have  been  converted  ? 
This  method  of  spreading  everywhere  the  truths  of  the 
gospel,  by  private  Christians  going  from  house  to  house, 
and  calling  the  attention  of  all  classes  to  the  invitations 
and  warnings  of  God's  word,  and  with  prayer  to  God 
entreating  the  people  to  give  attention  to  their  soul's  sal- 
vation, is  in  strict  accordance  with  the  commands  of 
Christ,  the  practice  of  the  apostles,  and  the  spirit  of  Chris- 
tianity. If,  in  connection  with  this  going  forth  bearing 
precious  seed,  there  shall  be  more  of  the  loving,  praying, 
weeping  spirit  which  God  so  highly  esteems — more  of 
spontaneous,  volunteer,  Christ-like  effort,  and  less  hired 
labor,  unquestionably  the  results  will  be  more  blessed  and 
abundant."  s.  w. 


A  minister  of  great  energy  and  executive  ability,  now  in 
the  pastorate,  writes  :  It  was  my  privilege  to  engage  as  a 
student  in  colportage  in  the  summer  of  1816,  after  which 
I  devoted  many  years  to  its  prosecution.  Interest  deep- 
ened with  experience  and  personal  knowledge  of  the  needs 
of  the  people.  Everywhere  the  work  was  needed,  in  every 
place  it  was  adapted,  in  every  place  where  suitable  men 
were  employed  it  was  blessed,  often  presenting  all  the 
points  of  successful  evangelization — supplying  the  destitute 
with  the  means  of  grace,  and  securing  the  blessing  of  the 
Spirit  in  the  conversion  of  souls,  thus  creating  the  "mate- 
rial for  churches,  stimulating  education,  promoting  intel- 
ligence and  the  observance  of  the  Sabbath,  temperance, 
and  general  good  order  and  thrift. 

"What  is  thus  quickly  and  conscientiously  said,  was  not 
so  quickly  or  easily  learned ;  but  the  facts  haying  been 
laboriously  gathered,  nothing  can  rob  them  of  their  power 
over  my  mind  and  heart.    The  wisest  planning  of  the  best 


136  COLPORTAGE. 

hearts  and  heads  developes  the  fundamental  necessity  in 
our  times  and  country  for  loving,  and  faithful,  and  capable 
personal  work  accompanying  and  enforcing  the  teachings 
of  evangelical  truth  in  some  of  its  printed  forms. 

As  an  agency  for  evangelization,  combining  in  a  simple 
and  effective  manner  these  great  elements  of  power,  Union 
Colportage  is  still  the  great  need  of  this  country,  not  as  a 
substitute  for  the  ministry  or  the  organized  church,  but  as 
a  pioneer  and  then  as  a  supplementary  work,  for  which 
there  is  a  field  almost  everywhere. 

As  a  general  cooperating  agency,  hindering  none  and 
helping  all  others  which  are  built  upon  and  employ  the 
truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus ;  as  a  promoter  of  individual 
awakening  and  conversion,  of  revivals  and  Christian  edi- 
fication, a  help  to  the  ministry,  and  the  trusted  auxiliary 
of  all  working  Christians,  bringing  aid  when  and  where 
most  needed,  strengthening  hands  and  hearts  ready  to  fail 
without  the  timely  and  practical  relief — we  gratefully  point 
to  a  long  and  never- to-be-obliterated  record  with  which 
we  have  been  personally  familiar,  and  over  which  the  heart 
has  often  been  lifted  in  thanksgiving  to  God.  It  is  a 
blessed  way  of  reaching  and  saving  the  millions  of  our 
land,  who  must  perish  if  not  sought  out  by  earnest  men  of 
God,  who  carry  a  revival  of  religion  in  their  hearts  and  the 
saving  truths  of  the  gospel  in'  their  hands. 

The  land  is  flooded  with  infidel,  frivolous,  and  vicious 
books  and  periodicals.  Preoccupy  the  ground  with  an  at- 
tractive Christian  literature  by  the  most  aggressive  means, 
or  the  nation  is  cursed.  None  but  the  most  aggressive 
means  will  do  the  work.  Delay  not,  falter  not ;  reiterate 
the  claims  of  the  masses  ;  proclaim  the  efficacy  of  personal 
effort  aided  by  the  press  ;  fill  the  land  with  itinerant  gos- 
pel carriers  and  workers  ;  call  upon  the  people  of  God  to 
pray  and  give,  to  employ  the  press  at  home,  and  let  the 


APPENDIX.  137 

leaves  of  the  tree  of  life  be  spread  before  every  ignorant  or 
indifferent  mind.  God  bless  the  Tract  Society,  and  its 
noble  system  of  colportage.  Y.  H.  • 


No  man  living  better  understands  the  working  of  col- 
portage, or  has  been  more  devoted  to  its  expansion,  than 
the  writer  of  the  following  ;  and  few  have  gathered  such 
abundant  results : 

In  the  fall  of  1844,  God  led  me  to  labor  for  one  year  as 
a  colporteur  of  the  American  Tract  Society.  From  that 
to  the  close  of  1865,  with  the  exception  of  four  months, 
my  whole  time  was  given  to  this  work  in  some  of  its  de- 
partments. I  have  traversed  western  Pennsylvania,  Mary- 
land, Virginia,  North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  and  some 
portions  of  Georgia,  besides  numerous  excursions  in  other 
states.  As  to  the  need  of  colportage  over  this  vast  field, 
the  thousands  of  families  without  Bibles  or  books  of  any 
kind  who  have  been  visited  and  supplied,  the  seventy-five 
thousand  children  brought  into  Sabbath-schools,  many  of 
whom  by  this  means  received  their  first  book  and  learned 
their  first  lesson — is  enough  to  satisfy  the  most  skeptical. 
I  have  found  thousands  of  families  who  had  never  seen  a 
preacher  in  their  houses,  never  heard  a  chapter  of  God's 
word  read,  or  a  prayer  offered.  I  have  often  heard  children 
between  eight  and  eighteen  years  old,  when  on  our  knees, 
call  out,  "Dad,  (or  mam,)vwhat  is  that  man  doing?"  and 
they  would  sometimes  run  out  crying  or  laughing,  and 
peep  in  at  us  between  the  logs  of  the  cabin. 

While  the  number  of  families  entirely  destitute  of  reli- 
gious books  is  greatly  reduced,  still  hundreds  have  but  a 
small  supply.  New  families  are  constantly  springing  up 
that  must  be  supplied  in  the  same  way,  or  die  in  igno- 
rance and  sin.     Such  is  the  broken  and  almost  impassable 


138  COLPORTAGE. 

condition  of  large  portions  of  the  field  over  which  I  have 
labored,  that  at  least  one  generation  must  pass  into  eter- 
nity before  the  people  will  be  able  to  supply  themselves 
with  the  stated  means  of  grace — churches,  pastors,  books, 
and  schools. 

While  there  are  many  portions  of  this  field  as  well  sup- 
plied with  ministers,  churches,  and  books,  as  any  in  our 
country,  still  I  know  of  no  place  where  an  intelligent, 
prudent  man  of  God  might  not  do  great  good  by  preach- 
ing and  distributing  books  and  tracts  from  house  to  house. 
I  am  very  certain  that  tracts  are  still  read  with  more  in- 
terest than  they  ever  have  been.  I  have  often  been  told 
by  intelligent  men  that  they  have  no  time  to  read  a  book 
through,  but  they  read  all  the  tracts  which  come  in  their 
way.  Not  long  since,  I  had  to  wait  four  hours  for  a  con- 
veyance in  a  little  village,  where  a  number  were  drinking 
and  swearing.  There  were  three  grog-shops  well  filled 
with  customers,  in  all  stages  of  intoxication.  In  one  hour 
I  had  said  a  few  words  to,  and  put  a  tract  in  the  hands  of 
every  person  I  could  find.  I  remained  two  hours  after, 
but  did  not  hear  another  oath.  One  man  said  he  had  not 
"took  in"  that  much  religion  for  years. 

I  have  never  found  any  community  where  there  were  not 
some  families  who  attended  no  place  of  worship  and  could 
say,  No  man  cares  for  our  souls.  Few  pastors  are  able  to 
meet  the  demands  made  on  them  by  their  own  people  ; 
consequently  those  who  don't  go  to  church  are  left  to 
perish  in  their  sins.  They  are  neglected,  for  fear  that 
those  who  visit  them  should  be  suspected  as  proselyters. 
As  a  general  rule,  a  stranger  can  do  them  more  good  than 
those  who  know  them.  To  all  classes  who  neglect  the 
house  of  God,  colportage  is  peculiarly  adapted.  The 
physician  examines  his  patient,  and  then  makes  his  pre- 
scription :  this  is  just  what  the  colporteur  does.      If  he 


APPENDIX.  139 

finds  an  infidel,  he  gives  him  Nelson's  "Cause  and  Cure  ;" 
if  a  hardened  sinner,  Baxter's  "Call,"  or  something  sim- 
ilar ;  to  a  Sabbath  breaker,  a  Sabbath  manual ;  and  so  on 
through  the  whole  catalogue  of  sinners,  he  has  a  prescrip- 
tion for  every  one.  At  least  one  out  of  every  four  coun- 
ties over  all  the  vast  field  I  have  explored  stands  in  crying 
need  of  a  pious,  godly  colporteur  of  the  Tract  Society. 

The  actual  results  of  this  kind  of  labor  have  proved  it  to 
be  a  most  successful,  as  well  as  a  most  economical  system 
of  doing  good.  The  first  man  I  ever  employed  as  colpor- 
teur had  been  a  circuit  preacher  sixteen  years.  At  the 
close  of  his  first  year  of  this  work,  he  told  me  he  believed 
he  had  accomplished  more  real  good  in  that  year  than  in 
the  sixteen  previous  years.  He  said  he  had  been  preach- 
ing to  a  people  without  any  books,  and  when  converted 
they  did  not  stick;  but  now,  said  he,  they  stick,  as  a  gen- 
eral rule,  well. 

It  is  the  only  way  a  large  class  can  be  supplied  with  a 
religious  literature.  One  half  the  people  have  never  seen 
a  book-store,  and  many  who  are  able  to  buy  never  will,\ 
while  thousands  are  utterly  unable.  By  carrying  religious 
books  to  them,  we  forestall  'a  vicious  literature,  and  pre- 
pare the  way  for  all  other  good  influences  to  follow. 
They  are  John  the  Baptists  going  before,  crying,  "Pre- 
pare ye  the  way  of  the  Lord,  make  his  paths  straight ;"  and 
they  turn  many  to  righteousness.  It  is  a  thorough  way  to 
gather  all  the  children  into  Sabbath-schools.  It  greatly 
aids  ministers  in  their  work  to  carry  in  their  pockets  a 
variety  of  tracts.  In  protracted  meetings  they  are  like  the 
gentle  rain  that  follows  the  shower,  percolating  into  the 
earth.  The  sermons  are  the  showers  which  rouse  the 
feelings,  reading  tracts  during  the  recesses  impresses  the 
truth  deeper  into  the  soul,  and  acts  more  directly  on  the 
judgment. 


140  COLPORTAQE. 

If  all  the  different  branches  of  the  church  which  preach 
and  teach  the  very  truths  taught  by  the  Tract  Society 
would  unite  their  efforts  in  this  Society,  a  colporteur 
could  be  employed  for  every  two  counties  in  our  country, 
without  interfering  with  any  denominational  enterprise. 
Oh  that  the  day  may  soon  come  when  the  prayer  of  Jesus 
Christ  may  be  answered,  that  his  people  may  all  be  one  in 
cooperation,  as  he  and  the  Father  are  one  in  fact.    j.  c. 


Not  a  few  of  the  most  godly  and  successful  foreign  mis- 
sionaries commenced  their  active  work  for  Christ  in  this 
home  missionary  agency.  Their  estimate  of  its  adaptation 
to  the  destitute,  both  at  home  and  abroad,  is  based  upon 
actual  experiment  and  wide  observation.  Of  this  class,  a 
few  words  well  embody  the  general  judgment  of  all. 

One  racily  describes  his  experience  in  the  earlier  days  of 
the  work,  in  a  field  near  to  the  city  of  New  York,  and  then 
adds :  From  personal  experience,  gained  week  after  week 
from  house  to  house,  I  am  constrained  to  think  that  no 
pastor  or  church-member  knows  the  condition  of  the  com- 
munity in  which  he  resides,  unless  he  has  engaged  in 
some  such  labor ;  and  whether  engaged  in  by  pastor  or 
colporteur,  or  better,  by  pastor  and  layman  and  colporteur 
combined,  such  labors  are  of  inestimable  advantage,  and 
constitute  the  hope  of  the  church  militant.  This  sphit 
carries  the  gospel  to  other  lands  ;  and  when  the  gospel  is 
planted  there,  this  spirit  sets  native  colporteurs  at  work 
there  as  leaven,  without  which  the  lump  cannot  be  leav- 
ened. 

Kepresenting  no  local  sect,  no  narrow  circle,  no  single 
church  or  land,  through  these  undying  works  breathes 
and  lives  again  the  highest  consecration  of  past  ages. 


APPENDIX.  141 

Thomas  a.  Kernpis  and  Baxter,  Luther  and  Edwards,  D'Au- 
bigne  and  Brainerd,  Martyn,  McCheyne,  and  Judson — 
all  Chi'isfs,  and  now  saints  in  heaven,  still  plead.  Stir- 
ring up  no  personal  antagonism,  awaking  no  present  prej- 
udices, this  still  printed  voice  comes  with  the  hushed 
whisper  of  the  mighty  past,  and  quietly  tells  the  infidel 
his  sophism,  the  impenitent  his  guilt ;  and  they  can  quar- 
rel neither  with  the  body  in  the  grave  nor  the  soul  in  the 
bosom  of  God. 

As  a  stranger,  the  colporteur  finds  no  sectarian  opposi- 
tion. Churches,  pastors,  elders,  Sabbath-schools,  parents, 
welcome  an  ally,  and  press  him  into  a  common  work. 
Aged  mothers  in  Israel  put  on  their  spectacles  and  gaze* 
upon  the  fresh  page,  hallowed  by  the  genius  of  the  well- 
known  dead.  Those  unused  to  prayer  allow  the  stranger 
to  kneel  and  pray  for  them,  and  often  reveal  the  hidden 
want  of  their  souls  to  one  whom  they  regard  as  a  messen- 
ger from  God.  Little  children  at  the  roadside,  going  home 
from  school,  gaze  at  the  illustrated  Scripture  stories  ;  and 
then  sometimes  the  sunny  smile  of  the  child  melts  the 
parent's  icy  soul.  When  the  narrative  written,  for  a  child 
has  made  the  strong  man  a  child,  the  entering  wedge  is 
found,  and  gospel  truth  may  be  driven  home  through 
what  had  been  most  fixed  and  knotted  opposition. 

Meantime  the  young  theological  student  is  learning 
human  nature,  and  being  fitted  for  future  work.  As  he 
marks  and  ponders  the  puerile  and  absurd  sophisms 
which  seem  trusted  bulwarks  for  infidels  and  universa- 
lists,  he  recognizes  the  stubbornness  of  that  opposition  to 
God  which  in  so  defenceless  a  position  can  maintain  so 
prolonged  and  desperate  a  resistance.  "While  he  meets 
the  lowly,  and  by  his  lips  "to  the  poor  the  gospel  is 
preached,"  he  finds  a  growing  union  with  Him  who  had 
compassion  on  the  sheep  without  a  shepherd.      May  God 


142  COLPOKTAGE. 

bless  the  American  Tract  Society  a  hundred-fold,  and 
make  its  pages  leaves  of  healing  for  all  nations. 

D.  W.  M. 


Since  the  following  was  written,  its  lamented  author 
has  been  called  "up  higher."  We  cannot  doubt  his  tes- 
timony even  now  would  be  the  same. 

I  would  testify  most  explicitly  to  the  reflex  influence  of 
colportage  on  those  who  are  permitted  to  engage  in  it, 
especially  such  as  are  preparing  to  preach  the  gospel, 
either  at  home  or  abroad.  The  theological  student  who 
spends  his  vacations  in  active  colportage,  recruits  his 
health,  strengthens  his  body,  acquires  a  practical  acquain- 
tance with  human  nature,  a  knowledge  of  the  various 
forms  and  devices  of  error,  and  skill  in  meeting  them,  a 
sympathy  with  the  poor  and  ignorant,  and  facility  of  ac- 
commodating himself  to  their  circumstances,  and  a  habit 
of  enduring  hardship  and  practising  self-denial  which  can 
be  attained  in  no  other  way.  I  question  whether  there  be 
any  one  branch  of  instruction  in  the  whole  theological 
course  more  valuable  to  the  pastor  than  this  experience. 
But  to  the  missionary  in  foreign  lands  and  among  the  de- 
graded heathen,  such  a  preparation  is  still  more  helpful. 
This  has  been  my  own  experience  ;  and  since  my  return 
to  this  country,  having  been  repeatedly  asked  by  candi- 
dates for  the  ministry  what  special  preparation  was  needed, 
or  what  extra  branches  should  be  studied  to  fit  one  for  the 
foreign  field,  I  have  often  replied  that  I  knew  of  no  other 
branch  of  study,  not  included  in  the  regular  seminary 
course,  which  would  be  so  useful  as  this.  Would  it  not 
be  well  if  our  ecclesiastical  bodies,  in  their  examination 
of  candidates  for  ordination,  should  insist  on  some  such 


APPENDIX.  143 

practical  course  of  labor  as  a  necessary  preparation  for  the 
highest  usefulness  in  the  pastoral  office?  J.  e.  f. 


Another  missionary  writes  :  "  As  to  the  general  good 
influence  of  the  training  secured  by  colporteur  service,  I 
am  very  positive  :  I  have  always  looked  back  to  that  expe- 
rience as  one  of  the  best  of  my  life,  I  think  I  never  more 
directly  and  simply  served  God  than  in  my  colporteur 
labors."  This  gentleman  is  occupying  one  of  the  most 
responsible  positions  in  the  church. 


One  who  prefers  to  work  through  ecclesiastical  organi- 
zations, where  this  can  be  done,  thus  speaks  of  his  colpor- 
teur labors  :  It  was  the  only  practical  training  which  I  had 
before  I  entered  the  ministry,  and  without  something  of 
the  kind,  my  increasing  conviction  is  that  no  man  ought 
to  be  ordained.  Colporteur  work  was  to  me  a  develop- 
ment of  that  dormant  side  of  the  student — how  to  use 
one's  weapons.  He  gets  the  armor  in  college  and  semi- 
nary ;  but  if  he  goes  forth  to  battle  with  it  without  putting 
it  to  the  proof,  he  will  be  sure  to  make  mistakes.  In  the 
missionary  work,  we  are  colporteurs  as  well  as  preachers 
and  teachers.  I  seldom  left  my  house  without  a  bundle  of 
tracts,  and  often  tried  the  plan  which  1  had  learned  as  a 
colporteur,  and  was  more  bold  to  undertake  for  Christ 
from  my  former  experience.  j.  k.  w. 


"We  close  these  extracts  with  the  well-considered  thoughts 
of  one  who,  for  the  last  ten  years,  has  been  an  honored 
pastor  in  the  West.     His  cordial  and  earnest  words  reveal 


144  COLPORTAGE. 

the  great  heart  in  his  bosom,  which  beats  so  warmly  with 
love  for  souls. 

If  there  are  any  years  of  my  life  on  which  I  look  back 
with  delight ;  if  there  has  been  any  period  in  which  I  was 
of  use  in  the  Master's  service ;  if  there  are  any  remem- 
brances precious  beyond  the  power  of  language  to  express, 
they  grew  out  of  the  agency  I  was  permitted  to  perform 
for  the  American  Tract  Society.  Of  the  many  impressions 
received  never  to  be  effaced,  I  note, 

1.  One  thing  that  from  the  first  and  all  along  gave  me 
great  assurance,  was  the  gradual  providential  development  of 
the  work.  It  was  not  a  beautiful  scheme  of  man's  devis- 
ing, perfected  at  once,  like  a  manufactory,  all  its  machi- 
nery perfected  before  a  single  thread  is  spun ;  or  like  a 
gallant  ship,  all  her  rigging  adjusted  and  her  sails  set  be- 
fore she  leaves  the  harbor.  To  illustrate  what  I  mean  : 
When  the  lamented  Dr.  Porter,  in  a  private  parlor  inci- 
dentally suggested  to  a  few  friends,  that  if  a  large  edition 
of  some  book  or  tract  were  printed,  it  might  be  obtained 
for  a  less  sum  than  they  had  been  accustomed  to  pay,  and 
so  gratuitous  circulation  would  be  facilitated,  who  but  the 
all-seeing  Eye  discerned  that  out  of  that  suggestion  would 
grow  the  present  world-wide  enterprise  of  the  American 
Tract  Society  ? 

When  the  idea  was  started — we  know  not  in  whose  mind 
it  originated  ;  we  would  fain  believe  that  it  was  a  scintil- 
lation from  the  throne  of  God — but  when  the  idea  Mas 
started  in  1832  that  it  was  desirable  to  place  one  or  more 
religious  tracts  in  every  accessible  family  between  lake 
Erie  and  New  Orleans,  who  would  have  predicted  as  the 
resiilt  the  kindling  of  that  zeal  which  has  placed  already 
so  many  millions  of  such  tracts  in  the  dwellings  of  this 
land? 


APPENDIX.  145 

When  four  Christian  men  in  1828  gave  eight  hundred  dol- 
lars to  the  Society  for  the  purpose  of  perpetuating  ' '  Dod- 
dridge's Rise  and  Progress  of  Religion  in  the  Soul,"  the  first 
book  printed  by  the  Society — fit  harbinger  of  the  issues 
that  should  follow — who  would  have  ventured  the  predic- 
tion that  in  forty  years  a  single  organization  would  have 
conveyed  to  the  families  in  this  country  more  than  twenty 
millions  of  such  books  ?  We  believe  they  are  to  be  found 
in  every  inhabited  county  and  district  of  these  United  States. 

When  the  lamented  Evarts,  who  with  ,;  the  tenderness 
of  a  child  that  could  stoop  to  the  sufferings'  of  the  indi- 
vidual combined  a  love  that  could  belt  the  globe,"  urged 
upon  the  Society  the  duty  of  publishing  the  gospel  in  for- 
eign and  pagan  lands,  he  did  not  venture  to  express  the 
hope  that  in  so  short  a  time  the  people  of  one  hundred  and 
forty  languages  and  dialects  should  reafl,  "in  their  own 
tongues  wherein  they  were  born,  the  wonderful  works  of 
God." 

And  when  a  young  man,  so  unnoticed  and  unknown 
that  his  name  probably  will  be  scarcely  heard  among  men, 
cried  out  almost  in  anguish,  "I  cannot  live  so  ;  I  cannot 
stand  it  any  longer  :  you  send  me  out  to  sell  these  books  ; 
but  I  call  on  one  family  after  another,  one  family  after 
another,  who  have  not  a  single  picayune  to  buy  with  ;  I 
converse  with  them  and  pray  with  them,  but  I  leave  them 
as  destitute  of  truth  on  the  printed  page  as  I  found  them  ; 
and  I  cannot  live  so  ;  I  cannot  stand  it  any  longer  ;  and 
unless  you  can  devise  some  way  by  which  I  may  give  the 
gospel  to  the  poor  without  money  and  without  price,  I  must 
stop  ;"  an  indifferent  listener  would  scarcely  out  of  this 
longing  to  supply  the  destitute  have  elaborated  the  method 
and  the  results,  as  witnessed  by  us,  of  union  colportage. 

From  such  small  beginnings,  from  such  incidental  sug- 
gestions, the  work  of  the  Society  has  extended  all  over 

Colportage.  10 


146  COLPOETAGE. 

this  land.  ' '  Behold  how  great  a  matter  a  little  fire  kin- 
dleth!"  But  it  needed  to  be  kindled  by  the  love  and 
fanned  by  the  breath  of  the  Spirit  of  God. 

2.  A  personal  acquaintance  with  a  great  many  of  those 
laborers  furniske^  delightful  evidence  of  the  power  of 
divine  grace  to  produce  a  truly  enlarged  and  benevolent 
charity.  Though  born  in  different  lands,  speaking  differ- 
ent tongues,  and  associated  with  many  different  commu- 
nions, there  was  great  unity  of  sentiment  and  experience 
as  to  what  is  essential  to  salvation.  Barely  in  their  labors 
and  in  their  colporteur  conventions  would  a  word  be  spo- 
ken to  the  prejudice  of  any  Christian  brother.  My  con- 
viction that  all  true  Christians  are  one,  was  constantly 
deepened  by  the  observation  of  more  than  fifteen  years  in 
connection  with  the  work  of  colportage. 

3.  Another  fadt,  giving  assurance  of  success  in  prose- 
cuting colportage,  is  the  character  of  the  publications. 
It  was  almost  uniformly  the  case  with  pastors,  when  an 
unusual  seriousness  pervaded  their  congregations,  to  say 
to  me,  "  Cannot  you  send  to  me  a  package  of  tracts?"  or, 
"I  must  have  some  of  the  publications  of  the  Society  to 
meet  the  condition  of  my  people."  The  grateful  conclu- 
sion, not  to  be  resisted,  was,  these  pastors  know  whereof 
they  affirm,  and  it  must  be  that  these  publications  are 
eminently  suited  to  promote  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the 
people.  The  complaint  has  been  made  that  they  were  not 
sufficiently  denominational  to  suit  some  persons  ;  but  I  do 
not  recall  a  single  instance  when  it  was  named  as  a  fault 
that  they  were  lacking  in  saving  truth.  What  condition 
in  life  is  there — what  possible  trouble  of  mind,  or  body, 
or  estate,  in  which  the  sufferer  may  not  derive  instruction, 
warning,  or  consolation,  from  some  of  the  excellent  trea- 
tises issued  by  the  Society  ? 

4.  How  the  moral  destitutions  of  this  great  country  can 


APPENDIX.  147 

be  better  explored,  brought  to  the  notice  of  the  church, 
and  supplied  with  saving  truth  in  a  permanent  form,  than 
by  union  colportage,  in  advance  of,  and  in  connection 
with,  the  Christian  ministry,  I  do  not  know.  These  des- 
titutions are  so  great,  it  is  difficult  to  gain  any  adequate 
apprehension  of  them.  A  residence  of  more  than  ten 
years  in  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi  has  confirmed  me  in 
the  impression  that  this  great  West  presents  a  field  of 
labor  imperative  in  its  demands,  glorious  in  its  prospects, 
and  at  the  same  time  almost  disheartening,  because  of  its 
vastness.  This  may  to  a  certain  extent  be  conjectured  by 
the  length  of  the  majestic  river  that  runs  through  its  cen- 
tre, indicated  by  the  variety  of  temperature  its  waters  en- 
counter in  their  passage  to  the  gulf.  I  look  out  from  my 
window  to-day  and  witness  its  mighty  throes,  as  if  deter- 
mined to  be  rid  of  its  bondage  of  ice.  Above  us,  for  a 
month  yet  to  come,  it  may  quietly  wear  its  chains  ;  while 
below  us,  the  flowers  are  in  full  bloom  on  its  banks  ;  and 
lower  still,  the  trees  have  passed  through  their  blossom- 
ing, and  are  well  on  their  way  to  fruitage.  All  the  dis- 
tance through  these  thousands  of  miles,  from  its  source  to 
its  mouth,  on  either  side  of  it,  and  far,  far  back  on  its 
prairies,  already  multitudes  of  immortal  beings  are  spend- 
ing their  season  of  probation  and  forming  characters  for 
eternity  ;  and  alas,  how  few  comparatively  are  toiling  for 
their  salvation  !  When  our  Saviour  said  to  his  disciples, 
"The  harvest  truly  is  great,  but  the  laborers  are  few; 
pray  ye  therefore  the  Lord  of  the  harvest,  that  he  would 
send  forth  laborers  into  his  harvest,"  can  it  be  that  his 
heart  of  infinite  love  did  not  embrace  the  inhabitants  of 
this  vast  territory?  As  the  tide  of  immigration  sets  so 
strongly  in  this  direction,  so  may  the  facilities  for  reach- 
ing them  at  their  firesides,  however  far  apart,  furnished  by 
union  colportage,  be  multiplied  a  thousand-fold.     h.  b.  h. 


148  COLPORTAGE. 


OPINIONS  OF  PASTORS, 


A  pastor  iu  New  York  state,  of  large  experience,  thus 
writes  :  ' '  Next  to  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  colportage, 
when  rightly  conducted,  has  long  seemed  to  me  to  be  the 
grand  instrumentality  appointed  by  the  church's  Head  for 
the  extension  of  his  kingdom.  In  all  parts  of  our  land 
there  are  multitudes  of  people  who  are  utterly  overlooked 
by  the  ordinary  instrumentalities  of  grace.  Under  the 
very  shadow  of  the  magnificent  churches  of  the  great 
cities  there  are  thousands  who  never  enter  them. 

But  this  agency  is  specially  needed  in  the  sparsely  set- 
tled portions  of  the  country.  In  very  many  places  there 
is  an  absolute  famine  of  the  bread  of  life.  No  schools 
on  either  week  day  or  Sabbath,  no  churches  accessible, 
no  books,  except  perhaps  some  far  worse  than  none, 
whose  tendency  is  to  debase  and  ruin  the  morals  and  the 
soul,  which  the  emissaries  of  the  spirit  of  Evil  are  usually 
found  earnest  in  disseminating  in  advance  even  of  tie 
agency  of  the  Tract  Society.  In  such  cases,  and  their 
name  is  legion,  what  can  be  expected  but  that  Satan  will 
rule  supreme,  and  that  the  people  will  perish  for  lack  of 
knowledge. 

Here  is  the  especial  field  of  colportage.  Surely  it  is  the 
duty  of  the  whole  church,  without  regard  to  denomina- 
tional distinctions,  to  send  forth  faithful  laborers  to  scat- 
ter broadcast  the  good  seed  of  the  word  throughout  all 
those  moral  desolations.  This  is  the  cheapest,  most  effi- 
cient, and  successful  instrumentality  practicable.  To  es- 
tablish churches  and  give  the  preached  gospel  by  the  liv- 
ing voice  wherever  humanity  is  spread,  is  not  possible  at 
the  present  day.  The  way  must  be  prepared  for  the 
establishment  of  Messiah's  kingdom  in  such  wildernesses 


APPENDIX.  149 

of  sin  by  the  humble,  but  invaluable  and  absolutely  ne- 
cessary labors  of  the  colporteur.  Let  any  one  read  those 
wonderful  records,  "Five  Years  in  the  Alleghanies, "  and 
"Twenty  Years  among  the  Colporteurs,"  lately  published 
by  the  Tract  Society,  and  tell  me  when  and  where  such 
an  incalculable  amount  of  good  has  ever  been  effected  at 
so  small  a  cost  of  money  by  any  other  agency.  Multi- 
tudes of  souls,  converted  to  God  through  the  effusion  of 
his  Spirit  and  his  blessing  on  the  faithful  labors  of  the 
colporteurs,  many  converts  brought  themselves  to  be  first 
colporteurs,  and  afterwards  preachers  of  the  gospel ;  and 
all  this  costing  less  money  to  the  church  than  is  needed 
to  support  a  single  one  of  the  great  churches  of  the  land, 
and  not  a  tithe  of  what  is  yearly  expended  in  the  support 
of  one  of  those  hotbeds  of  immorality,  our  metropolitan 
theatres. 

The  power  of  this  agency  for  the  regeneration  of  the 
world  is  incalculable,  and  it  only  needs  to  be  rightly  em- 
ployed to  make  it  mighty  to  the  pulling  down  of  the 
strongholds  of  sin.  It  supplies  for  the  people  of  all  class- 
es just  the  sanctified  literature  they  need,  for  it  gives  food 
for  babes  and  strong  meat  for  the  most  cultivated  intellect 
and  holy  heart.  It  is  the  true  and  faithful  handmaid  of 
the  settled  ministry,  a  handmaid  abundantly  owned  and 
blessed  by  the  Head  of  the  church.  d.  m.  m. 


An  honored  and  useful  pastor  in  New  York  state,  after 
describing  the  wonderful  effects  of  the  Society's  work  in 
his  own  church,  adds:  "I  cannot  but  regard  the  Tract 
Society  as  one  of  the  great  religious  instrumentalities  in 
the  providence  of  God  for  evangelizing  the  masses,  espe- 
cially that  class  who,  from  various  causes,  are  excluded 
from  regular  attendance  on  the  sanctuary." 


150  COLPORTAGE. 

A  pastor,  residing  in  one  of  the  large  seaboard  towns  in 
.Massachusetts,  writes  :  The  field  I  cultivate  greatly  needs 
the  kind  of  labor  bestowed  by  the  colporteur.  It  is  spe- 
cially adapted  to  do  unbounded  good  here.  Colportage 
has  been  a  blessing,  not  only  to  the  masses  outside  of  the 
churches  and  the  ministry,  but  to  the  churches  and  the 
ministry  themselves.  It  has  been  a  universal  benefit  to 
this  people.  We  need  this  day  as  much  as  any  one  means 
of  grace,  a  living,  discreet  colporteur.  He  would  do 
more  for  home  evangelization  than  any  other  effort.  I 
often  hear  the  indifferent,  the  irreligious  as  well  as  the 
Christian,  speak  of  the  influence  of  colportage,  as  it  has 
been  enjoyed  in  years  past  in  this  place.  May  the  time 
not  be  distant  when  we  may  welcome  among  us  another 
to  help  in  the  great  work  of  saving  souls. 


A  pastor  of  one  of  the  churches  in  Maine  writes  :  I  have 
had  an  opportunity  for  the  past  two  years  to  observe  the 
workings  of  colportage,  and  I  feel  that  it  is  an  instrumen- 
tality which  nothing  else  can  supply  the  place  of.  Wheth- 
er in  destitute  neighborhoods,  or  cooperating  with  other 
agencies,  it  is  of  vast  value.  Of  course  it  is  most  needed 
in  those  places  where  the  gospel  is  not  preached ;  yet 
there  is  great  good  done  by  the  visitation  of  those  places 
blessed  by  a  faithful  ministry,  by  conversing  with  families, 
seeking  out  the  neglected  and  remote,  and  supplying  the 
want  of  good,  sound,  wholesome  books.  The  labors  of 
Dea.  S.  on  the  broad  field  he  has  traversed,  have  been  of 
exceeding  value.  His  visits  have  been  prized  ;  his  books 
are  the  seed  of  a  coming  harvest,  some  already  gathered. 
Our  land  can  never  be  Christianized  till  men  are  sought 
out  in  the  byways  and  forsaken  precincts,  and  the  gos- 
pel preached  to  them  by  laymen  sent  forth  for  this  very 


APPENDIX.  151 

work.  I  have  no  doubts  as  to  the  importance  and  adapt- 
edness  of  this  mode  of  activity,  if  you  can  get  men  of 
zeal,  and  self-denial,  and  discrimination  to  engage  in  this 
work.  There  is  need  of  thousands  all  over  our  land,  who 
can  not  only  distribute  books,  but  teach  and  preach  wher- 
ever they  go.  Every  good  pastor  and  superintendent  in 
our  rural  districts,  or  those  away  from  business  centres 
where  books  can  be  obtained,  rejoice  in  the  visit  of  the 
colporteur,  and  his  presence  and  aid  in  the  school  and  the 
prayer-meeting.  I  need  not  allude  to  the  value  of  his 
visits  to  the  family  circle  waiting  for  the  supply  of  just 
such  books  as  he  carries,  safe,  healthy,  and  fitted  to  lift 
up  and  purify  the  heart. 


A  pastor  in  M writes  :  While  laboring,  some  years 

since,  at  the  South,  I  became  impressed  with  the  special 
usefulness  of  colportage  there,  from  its  peculiar  adaptation 
to  the  state  of  the  population.  In  large  portions  of  the 
South  the  people  are  so  sparsely  settled  that  colportage 
seems  to  be  the  only  agency  by  which  the  gospel  can 
reach  them.  At  least,  it  is  an  essential  agency  for  cover- 
ing the  large  margin  of  deficiency,  after  the  ordained  min- 
istry and  all  church  appliances  have  done  their  best.  Ex- 
cept at  county  sites,  it  is  rare  that  a  minister's  labors  are 
confined  to  a  single  parish ;  and  preaching-places  are  so 
far  apart  that  they  must  be  visited  in  their  turn,  and  on 
separate  Sabbaths.  The  families  are  so  scattered  that  very 
little  pastoral  visitation  is  attempted.  I  found  one  minis- 
ter settled  at  a  county  site,  who,  besides  ministering  to 
the  church  where  he  lived,  and  teaching  at  the  academy, 
and  keeping  a  boarding-house,  and  overseeing  a  planta- 
tion, had  three  other  congregations,  which  must  take  their 
turn  on  successive  Sabbaths,  the  nearest  of  which  was 


152  COLPORTAGE. 

twelve  miles  distant ;  one  was  twenty-four  miles.  Though 
this  is  an  extreme  case,  yet  it  illustrates  how  far  short  the 
regular  ministry  comes,  and  must  of  necessity  come,  of 
meeting  the  spiritual  wants  of  the  people.  Another  fact 
which  makes  colportage  more  needed  South  than  in  some 
other  portions  of  the  Union  is  that  the  South  is  not  so 
flooded  with  books,  and  so  overrun  with  agents  of  all 
kinds,  consequently  the  colporteur  is  welcomed,  and  his 
books  are  gladly  received  and  eagerly  read. 


A  minister  of  wide  experience,  in  an  Eastern  state,  tes- 
tifies :  Every  day's  observation  increases  my  conviction 
that  colportage  should  be  largely  increased  in  New  Eng- 
land. I  would  not  confine  these  men  to  the  poorer  and 
more  sparsely  settled  portions  of  the  country.  It  would 
pay  abundantly  to  have  every  part  of  our  country  travers- 
ed by  them,  and  every  family,  if  possible,  visited.  Vastly 
could  the  influence  and  the  power  of  the  church  be  aug- 
mented by  such  an  agency  well  chosen,  and  having  the 
confidence  and  the  cooperation  of  the  people  of  God. 
There  is  not  a  city  or  a  rural  district  where  the  labors  of  a 
faithful  colporteur  would  not  result  in  rich  harvests  of 
blessing.  I  doubt  if,  in  a  land  like  this,  and  during  the 
current  year,  a  half-million  of  dollars  could  be  more  wisely 
or  hopefully  employed  than  in  sending  into  the  different 
parts  of  our  land  an  army  of  over  a  thousand  devoted 
Christian  colporteurs.  I  would  love  to  see  so  grand  an 
experiment  on  actual  trial.  I  believe  there  is  a  growing 
conviction  of  the  need  of  this  agency,  and  of  its  great 
value.  May  friends  not  be  wanting  to  give  it  new  life  and 
power  in  this  land. 

♦ ■ 

Says  another  minister :  It  appears  evident  to  my  mind 
that  the  church  in  its  organized  form  cannot  speedily 


APPENDIX.  153 

reach  the  multitude  scattered  on  the  frontier,  in  the  moun- 
tains, and  other  sparsely-settled  portions  of  our  country. 
To  effect  the  great  end  of  the  gospel  respecting  such  com- 
munities, we  must  go  back  to  primitive  apostolic  plans. 
They  went  everywhere  preaching  the  word.  Now  in  twos, 
now  in  groups,  here  perhaps  a  single  one  ;  but  all  .telling 
of  Jesus,  his  crucifixion,  resurrection,  and  glorious  ascen- 
sion into  heaven,  and  exhorting  all  to  believe  in  him. 
Had  they  possessed  the  tracts  and  books  of  the  American 
Tract  Society,  I  think  they  would  have  carried  them  ' '  to 
the  regions  beyond. "  They  would  have  been  faithful  and 
true  colporteurs.  Colportage  goes  out  as  the  vanguard  of 
the  army  of  the  Lord,  as  the  pioneer  of  the  organized 
church,  preparing  the  way  and  selecting  appropriate 
ground  for  encampments.  And  when  this  work  is  com- 
plete, it  cooperates  with  the  churches,  and  everywhere 
compels  attention,  induces  conviction,  reclaims  the  back- 
slider, guides  the  inquiring,  and  through  the  printed  page 
and  the  living  ministry  points  all  to  the  Lamb  of  God 
which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world.  s.  p.  l. 


A  successful  pastor  in  New  Jersey  writes  :  As  a  pioneer, 
your  Society  has  done  much  to  awaken  the  attention  of 
the  evangelical  churches  to  existing  destitutions,  and  the 
facts  becoming  known  have  stimulated  the  churches  to 
explore  their  outlying  and  unknown  territory,  and  follow 
your  colporteurs  with  the  more  regular,  permanent,  and"* 
systematic  ordinances  of  the  gospel. 


A  pastor  of  national  reputation,  large  influence,  and 
great  success,  thus  expresses  his  views  :  I  have  felt  a  par- 
ticular interest  in  colportage  since  it  was  inaugurated,  and 


154  C0LP011TAGE. 

all  my  observation  and  experience  have  been  constantly 
raising  my  estimate  of  it.  While  I  was  at  E ,  my  at- 
tention to  Northern  Pennsylvania  satisfied  me  that  it  was 
invaluable  and  indispensable  in  agricultural  districts  ;  and 

my  work  of  more  than  fifteen  years  in  U ,  has  as  tally 

satisfied  me  of  the  need  and  importance  of  it  in  large 
towns.  As  a  preacher  of  the  gospel,  I  should  not  be  likely 
to  depreciate  the  ministry ;  but  it  is  not  the  sole  agency 
in  the  cause  for  which  it  performs  a  preeminent  part. 
Nay,  limited  and  exercised  as  the  ministry  is,  only  the 
smaller  portion  of  the  people  are  reached  by  it  in  the  most 
favored  communities.  It  has  long  been  the  distress  of 
many  of  my  brethren  that  we  addressed  only  our  congre- 
gations, and  that  these  were  constituted  by  less  than  one- 
half  or  two-thirds  of  our  fellow-citizens.  We  do  not  tire 
of  appealing  to  the  same  ears,  but  we  long  to  speak  to  the 
multitudes  who  never  listen  to  us.  They  will  not  come  to 
hear  us,  and  if  we  prepare  ourselves  to  say  any  thing 
worth  being  announced  from  the  pulpit,  and  give  due 
heed  to  those  who  attend  to  us  there,  we  cannot  possibly 
be  talking  to  others  at  their  homes  and  places  of  labor  and 
business.  We  must  have  cooperation  if  the  masses  are  to 
be  evangelized. 

It  has  long  been  a  favorite  idea  with  me  that  the  local 
churches  should  make  it  their  mission  not  to  build  them- 
selves up,  but  to  Christianize  the  surrounding  population. 
This  is  widely  regarded  as  an  extra  service,  or  as  an  inci- 
dent to  the  services  of  the  sanctuary,  instead  of  being 
aimed  at  primarily  and  principally.  The  proper  order 
and  progress  are  reversed.  Instead  of  seeking  to  bear  the 
gospel  to  the  community,  and  in  this  way,  and  as  the  re- 
sult of  this,  enjoy  an  enlargement  and  strengthening  of  the 
church,  the  object  is  to  enlarge  and  strengthen  the 
church,  and  to  let  the  community,  to  some  extent,  be  thus 


APPENDIX.  155 

furnished  with  the  gospel.  The  Saviour  does  not  com- 
mission his  disciples  in  any  town  to  make  a  flourishing 
organization  of  the  First  or  Second  Presbyterian,  or 
Reformed  Dutch,  or  Congregational,  or  Methodist,  or 
Episcopal,  or  Baptist  societies  ;  but  to  take  the  truth  to 
the  inhabitants  of  that  town  and  to  press  it  upon  them  ; 
and  they  ought  to  associate  together,  not  to  form  large 
and  wealthy  bodies,  but  to  press  the  truth  on  every  citi- 
zen. With  such  a  policy,  a  church  is  most  sure  to  pros- 
per. It  is  a  benevolent,  instead  of  a  selfish  spirit  that 
animates  it,  and  this  alone  is  its  true  life.  It  is  doing  the 
Lord's  work,  and  not  its  own,  and  he  may  be  expected  to 
favor  it.  The  character  of  the  members  is  improved  by  it, 
and  they  are  much  more  sure  to  help  the  fraternity  to  which 
they  belong.  The  evangelization  of  the  surrounding  popu- 
lation must  ordinarily  be  accomplished,  and  is  ordinarily 
best  accomplished,  by  the  communicants  of  a  church.  Com- 
paratively few  can  afford  a  paid  agency,  and  it  is  an  inesti- 
mable advantage  to  them  to  perform  it  themselves.  But 
there  is  a  great  extent  of  field  in  the  country,  for  which 
volunteers  cannot  be,  and  certainly  will  not  be  enlisted;  and 
the  Tract  Society  may  have  use  for  all  the  means  it  can  com- 
mand in  sending  laborers  into  it,  permanent  and  transient, 
and  laborers  who,  while  doing  the  needful  work  for  the  time 
being,  may  induce  resident  Christians  to  embark  in  it. 

Earnestly  praying  for  a  continued  blessing  on  your  So- 
ciety throughout  its  wide  sphere,  and  particularly  the  de- 
partment of  colportage,  I  am  yours,  p.  h.  f. 


Our  remaining  witness,  an  able  and  devoted  minister  in 
Ohio,  writes  from  personal  observation  extending  over  a 
wide  field  and  for  many  years :  I  have  watched,  with  in- 
creasing interest,  the  efforts  of  the  American  Tract  Soci- 


156  COLPORTAGE. 

ety  to  evangelize  the  masses  by  union  colportage.  At  an 
early  day  I  saw  the  necessity  for  such  an  agency.  My 
home  was  near  a  dense  country  population  with  small 
means  of  grace,  and  a  part  of  my  time  was  given  to  a  vol- 
untary colportage  among  them.  The  Lord  blessed  the 
means,  and  his  own  work  of  conversion  met  me  every- 
where. At  a  subsequent  period,  I  was  connected  with  one 
of  our  colleges  as  a  professor.  The  population  for  miles 
around  was  without  a  ministry  of  Christ,  or  a  Sabbath- 
school.  An  extensive  colportage  was  commenced,  and 
the  whole  region  has  been  enlightened  by  this  means. 
Many  of  the  young  men  have  spent  their  vacations  as  col- 
porteurs, and  filled  the  country  with  Sabbath-schools  and 
publications.  The  contrast  between  the  population  of  to- 
day and  at  that  period  is  marked  and  wonderful.  The 
change  is,  in  a  great  measure,  due,  under  God,  to  this  labor. 
While  in  college  life  and  since,  I  have  travelled  on  reli- 
gious exploring  tours  in  Ohio,  Virginia,  Kentucky  and 
Indiana,  over  fifty  thousand  miles.  A  large  portion  of 
this  on  horseback  and  among  our  outlying  and  interlying 
masses  beyond  and  between  the  churches,  and  witnessed, 
at  many  points  in  the  South  and  West,  the  evangelizing 
effects  of  colportage.  The  moral  and  religious  condition 
of  these  masses  is,  in  many  places,  most  melancholy  and 
deplorable.  Ignorance,  as  dense  as  Egyptian  darkness, 
envelops  them.  In  Ohio  we  have  between  one-third 
and  one-fourth  of  our  entire  population  living  and  dy- 
ing without  the  gospel.  In  Indiana  and  Kentucky  is  a 
large  proportion  in  the  same  awful  state.  Colportage  is 
the  only  agency  by  which,  at  present,  they  can  be  evan- 
gelized ;  and  this,  to  be  effective,  must  not  be  denomina- 
tional, but  union.  By  all  means,  let  the  land  be  filled 
with  it.  In  addition  to  the  country  round  about  the  col- 
lege referred  to,  I  am  personally  acquainted  with  other 


APPENDIX.  157 

sections  where  the  same  efforts  have  been  followed  with 
the  same  blessed  results :  the  darkness  has  been  dissipa- 
ted, souls  converted,  Sabbath  and  day  schools  introduced, 
churches  organized,  and  the  population  redeemed.  Bless- 
ed be  God  for  such  an  agency  and  such  results !  j.  m.  e. 

Would  to  God  that  all  our  pastors  cooperated  heartily 
in  this  blessed  work. 


AN  AKMY  COLPORTEUE  DESCKIBED. 

BY  CHAPLAIN  J.  E.  H. 

If  one  should  visit  the  army  of  the  Potomac,  and  stay 
for  some  time  in  any  part  of  it,  he  would  be  pretty  certain 
to  meet  an  odd  little  man  going  round  among  the  boys. 
He  generally  has  a  satchel  slung  over  his  shoulder,  or  a 
package  under  his  arm,  or  both ;  and  if  you  should  see 
him  approaching  your  home,  where  scenes  are  peaceful, 
you  would  prepare  for  an  interview  with  an  old-fashioned, 
energetic  dealer  in  some  kind  of  small-wares.  His  appear- 
ance, though  not  remarkable,  excites  interest ;  and  you 
say  to  yourself,  ' '  I  wonder  what  that  little  man  is  doing 
in  the  army."  He  is  about  five  feet  six  inches  in  height, 
and  of  a  square-built,  chunky  frame  ;  he  wears  a  soft  felt 
hat  and  a  brown  coat,  both  of  which  have  done  good  ser- 
vice ;  his  vest  and  pants,  a  little  soiled,  suggest  that  he 
works  actively  sometimes  ;  his  warm  shirt,  of  gray  stock- 
ing-web, has  been  selected  for  comfort  rather  than  for 
beauty ;  the  paper  collar,  without  any  necktie,  buttoned 
carelessly  on  the  shirt,  is  the  only  mark  about  him  of  any 
deference  to  fashion ;  and  the  plain,  unpolished  shoes, 


158  ,       COLrORTAGE. 

which  are  of  the  kind  that  soldiers  have,  put  it  beyond  de- 
nial that  the  little  man  is  given  to  walking.  His  face  has 
a  somewhat  abstracted  expression,  yet  indicates  kind- 
heartedness,  vivacity,  humility,  and  shrewdness.  He 
seems  between  fifty  and  sixty  years  of  age  ;  time  and  care 
have  made  furrows  on  his  cheeks,  and  his  dark  brown  hair 
is  growing  thin  and  sparse.  But  his  eye  is  bright  and 
restless ;  and  he  shoves  along  with  his  bundle  under  his 
arm,  as  though  he  had  plenty  of  business  on  hand. 

Mark  him  as  he  enters  a  camp  and  is  recognized  by  the 
soldiers.  "Hey,  Uncle  John,  is  that  you?"  says  one,  who 
starts  to  meet  him.  ' '  How  are  you,  Uncle  John  ?"  echoes 
another  from  within  his  tent.  "I  am  glad  to  see  you, 
Uncle  John.  Have  you  any  soap  to-day  ?"  cries  a  third  ; 
and  a  fourth  nephew  inquires,  "Uncle  John,  have  you 
brought  the  writing-paper  and  envelopes  you  promised  ?" 
The  wide-awake  little  man  is  at  home  among  them,  and 
answers  in  a  cheery,  lively  way,  "How  are  you,  dear  boys? 
I  'm  glad  to  see  you.  I  guess  I  've  got  a  little  something 
for  you — I  was  thinking  you  'd  be  wanting  a  little  paper 
and  needles,  for  the  paymaster  has  n't  been  round  for  a 
good  while,  has  he  ?  Just  step  up,  boys ;  I  can't  carry 
much,  you  know,  but  I  '11  give  you  what  I  've  got."  He  is 
instantly  surrounded  by  a  circle  of  our  blue-coated  heroes, 
ready  for  his  little  gifts,  and  yet  more  ready  for  what  Un- 
cle John  may  have  to  say ;  for  they  know  well  that  he 
never  finds  himself  among  soldiers  without  saying  some- 
thing that  is  worth  listening  to. 

Hark  to  the  merry  laughter,  as  Uncle  John  makes^some 
singular  observation!  See  the  fixed  attention,  as  he  re- 
lates some  stirring  news,  or  interesting  incident !  Listen 
to  ' '  That 's  so.  Uncle  John  ;  that 's  so,"  as  he  renders  some 
excellent  sentiment  or  advice,  in  his  terse,  striking  way ! 
And  all  the  time  both  his  hands  are  busy  dispensing  sheets 


APPENDIX.  159 

of  paper,  and  pens,  and  thread,  etc.,  with  skilful  and  im- 
partial generosity.  After  these  gifts,  tracts  and  religious 
reading,  produced  from  the  black  satchel,  are  distributed 
to  many  glad  recipients,  Uncle  John,  the  meanwhile,  con- 
tinuing his  remarks.  Now  his  stock  is  exhausted ;  and 
the  little  man  earnestly  repeats  an  invitation  which  he  has 
already  given  incidentally,  perhaps  half-a-dozen  times. 
' '  Now  boys,  do  n't  forget  the  prayer-meeting  the  chaplain 
is  going  to  have  this  evening.  Come,  come,  dear  boys, 
and  let  us  ask  God  to  bless  us."  "We  will,  Uncle  John, 
we  will, "  is  the  response  of  many  voices  ;  and  possibly  the 
evening  hour  will  show  that  the  invitation  has  been  also 
accepted  by  many  silent,  softened  hearts  that  did  not  dare 
to  speak.  The  next  moment  " Uncle  Johnnie 's  gone!" 
but  the  influences  of  his  genial  soul  are  scattered  all 
around. 

The  full  name  of  this  ubiquitous  little  man,  who  has  all 
the  soldiers  in  the  army  of  the  Potomac  for  his  nephews, 
is  known  to  but  few  of  those  who  are  familiar  with  his 
countenance  and  person ;  but  it  is  a  name  which  is  en- 
rolled for  everlasting  life  and  honor  in  the  blessed  book 
above.  He  labors  as  distributing  agent  for  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  and  as  army  colporteur  of  the  American 
Tract  Society,  by  whom  he  is  supported ;  but  he  is  so 
original  a  genius,  and  such  an  active,  whole-souled,  liber- 
al-hearted philanthropist,  that  it  is  difficult  to  think  of 
him  as  connected  with  any  particular  institution.  I  was 
struck  with  the  remark  of  a  colored  man,  as  some  were 
discussing  the  character  of  Uncle  John:  "I'll  just  tell 
you,  then,  what /thinks  ;  I  thinks  this — I' thinks  Uncle  John 
is  a  real  Christianity."  The  truth  could  scarcely  be  express- 
ed better.  While  entertaining  decided  denominational  sen- 
timents and  attachments,  Uncle  John  labors  everywhere 
with  such  a  largeness  of  spirit,  and  such  a  loftiness  of  view, 


160  COLPOIiTAGE. 

m 

that  one  can  regard  him  only  as  belonging  to  the  church  of 
God  and  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ. 

The  first  half  of  his  life  was  passed  in  his  cousin's  brew- 
ery, and  was  thoroughly  given  to  business  ;  but  about  fif- 
teen years  ago  God  touched  the  brewer's  heart,  and  claimed 
him  for  a  higher  service.  A  severe  struggle  with  old 
views  and  habits  terminated  in  complete  triumph,  and  he 
consecrated  to  the  cause  of  Christ  those  energies  which 
had  been  devoted  to  secular  concerns.  Uncle  John  aban- 
doned his  position  in  the  brewery,  and  with  it  flattering 
prospects  of  wealth.  He  felt  that  it  could  be  his  calling  no 
longer.  "Heaven,"  I  have  heard  him  say,  "seemed  too 
far  away  when  I  looked  up  at  it  from  among  the  beer  bar- 
rels." Disengaged  from  worldly  pursuits,  he  gave  him- 
self with  zeal  to  tract  distribution,  exhortation,  prayer- 
meetings,  and  various  evangelical  labors,  so  that  the  good 

people  of  P were  astonished  ;  many  even  thought  him 

crazed.  They  did  not  understand  the  case.  A  mind  of 
natural  strength  and  fervency  had  received  a  strange  and 
powerful  impulse  from  new-born  faith  and  love.  To  him, 
religious  things,  no  longer  invisible  and  distant,  were  seen 
and  present.  His  awakened  soul  accepted  Bible  truths  as 
living  and  wonderful  realities.  Christ's  cross  and  judg- 
ment-seat seemed  very  near,  radiant  with  tender  attrac- 
tions and  with  awful  glories.  The  curtain  concealing 
futurity  had  fallen  ;  and  from  beholding  the  endless  desti- 
nies of  the  righteous  and  the  wicked,  he  turned  to  his 
fellow-men,  and  earnestly  besought  them  to  seek  the 
divine  favor  and^preparation  for  heaven. 

This  practical  zeal  for  God  and  souls,  arising  partly  from 
natural  character  and  yet  more  from  vivid  realization  of 
the  truths  of  religion,  was  no  temporary  flame.  Burning 
to-day  with  its  original  brightness,  and  with  more  than  its 
original  fervor,  it  is  the  immediate  source  of  the  ceaseless 


APPENDIX.  161 

Christian  activity  of  our  beloved  Uncle  John.      He  found 

but  a  limited  sphere  of  usefulness  in  P ,  and  possibly 

had  cause  to  feel  that  it  was  "his  own  country."  Going 
westward,  he  spent  some  years  traversing  the  prairies  of 
Illinois  with  horse  and  wagon,  as  colporteur  of  the  Amer- 
ican Tract  Society.  God  went  with  him  over  those  grassy 
solitudes,  and  blessed  his  labors,  and  filled  him  with  joy 
and  praise.  It  was  in  this  service  that  he  gained  that 
experimental  familiarity  with  the  best  thoughts  of  Chris- 
tian authors,  and  that  Wonderful  command  of  religious 
language  which  have  compensated  in  great  measure  for 
the  want  of  a  liberal  education,  and  which  have  contribu- 
ted greatly  to  his  success  in  the  work  of  the  Lord. 

Keturning  to  P ,  he  began  visiting  the  churches  as 

Providence  opened  the  door,  and  became  instrumental  of 
untold  good  in  several  wide-spread  revivals.  He  went 
from  place  to  place,  "feeling  his  way"  and  working  with 

the  pastors.      P county  especially  thrice  witnessed  a 

great  outpouring  of  the  Divine  Spirit,  chiefly  in  blessing 
upon  his  efforts.  Finding  an  interest  in  some  members 
of  a  decayed  backslidden  church,  he  would  spend  the  day 
visiting  in  the  congregation  from  house  to  house,  conver- 
sing and  praying  with  every  one,  and  in  the  evening  he 
would  attend  a  prayer-meeting  at  the  residence  of  some 
pious  family  ;  "  for,"  says  he,  "it  would  never  do  to  com- 
mence in  a  cold  church  ;  but  after  God  pours  down  his  Spirit 
in  answer  to  prayer,  then  the  lecture-room  will  be  needed, 
and  the  church  too."  In  those  times  his  soul  overflowed 
with  happiness,  when  sanctuaries  were  nightly  crowded 
with  inquirers,  and  God  came  down  in  love  and  power. 

As  one  of  the  almoners  of  the  royal  bounty  of  the  Sani- 
tary Commission,  Uncle  John  is  indefatigable.  It  is  his 
special  delight  to  find  unseen  and  neglected  spots,  and  to 
secure  for  them  their  share  of  comforts.      Thousands  of 

Colpoitage.  11 


162  COLPORTAGE. 

poor  fellows  bless  hini  for  timely  and  thoughtful  care.  In- 
deed I  never  met  any  one  who  combined  in  a  similar  degree 
prompt  and  exact  attention  to  .items  of  business  with  un- 
remitting spiritual  aims  and  efforts.  It  seems  part  of  bis 
religion  to  neglect  nothing.  Those  evangelical  labors, 
however,  to  which  his  other  pursuits  are  subsidiary,  are 
the  chief  exponents  of  his  character  and  power.  In  these — 
I  can  express  myself  in  no  other  way — in  these  Uncle  John 
is  great.  His  pleading  particularizing  prayers,  his  varied, 
choice,  and  ready  store  of  hymns,  his  rapid  yet  unoffend- 
ing directness  of  personal  appeal,  his  easy  and  quick  com- 
mand of  thought  and  language,  his  homely,  pointed,  and 
solemn  method  in  public  address,  and  his  very  appearance 
and  voice  and  manner,  unpretending  and  deferential,  yet  as 
earnest  and  sympathetic  as  they  possibly  could  be— all  qual- 
ify him  to  succeed  anywhere,  but  especially  with  soldiers. 

I  have  been  amazed  sometimes  at  the  beauty  of  his 
prayers.  On  one  occasion,  during  the  heats  of  summer, 
we  rode  together  through  the  woods  to  a  distant  pasture, 
that  our  horses,  then  fed  only  on  grain,  might  enjoy  graz- 
ing for  an  hour.  Uncle  John  had  been  somewhat  de- 
pressed, and  we  sat  under  the  shade  of  a  little  tree.  Sud- 
denly he  exclaimed,  "Brother  H ,  let  us  pray,"  threw 

himself  forward  upon  the  grass,  and  instantly  began,  "  O 
God,  on  this  beautiful  day,  amid  these  old  woods,  and 
beneath  thine  own  clear  heavens,  we  lift  up  our  souls  to 
thee."  His  voice,  at  first  slow  and  full,  was  rich  with  mel- 
ody and  pathos  ;  and  as  petition  after  petition,  exquisitely 
expressed,  followed  each  other  in  beautiful  succession,  I 
thought  the  sacred  eloquence  of  that  unstudied  prayer 
such  as  I  had  never  heard  before.  While  the  prostrate 
body  rested  on  hands  and  knees,  crouching  in  lowliest 
humility,  and  the  face,  with  close-shut  eyes  and  intensity 
of  expression,  sometimes  almost  touched  the  ground,  the 


ArPENDIX.  163 

longing,  believing  spirit  seemed  to  rise,  as  on  angels'  wings, 
into  the  presence  and  glory  of  its  God.  While  we  were 
returning,  he  said  that  he  seemed  to  have  had  a  glimpse 
of  heaven,  and  was  refreshed  and  comforted.  I  could 
easily  believe  it. 

Uncle  John  is  a  great  power  in  a  soldier's  prayer-meet- 
ing, for  he  generally  imparts  to  his  fellow-worshippers 
much  of  his  own  spirit.  With  excellent  wisdom  he  inva- 
riably looks  to  the  chaplain  for  the  organization  and  con- 
trol of  religious  assemblies,  even  of  those  in  which  he  him- 
self may  be  the  principal  actor;  "for,"  he  says,  "I'm 
nothing  but  an  old  shepherd  dog,  and  I  try  to  help  the 
pastors  in  tending  their  flocks."  But  after  the  meeting 
has  been  set  a-going,  Uncle  John,  "assisted,"  as  he  would 
say,  "by  the  good  Spirit  of  the  Lord,"  is  the  very  life  of  it. 

The  first  time  I  ever  saw  him  was  last  winter,  near 

B ,  in  a  chaplain's  meeting  in  the  log  church  of  the 

brigade.  The  quaint  sprightliness,  the  overflowing  broth- 
erly love,  the  humility  and  Christian  readiness  of  the  little 
man,  were  apparent.  Ever  since  the  completion  of  the 
log  chapel  in  our  brigade,  an  increasing  interest  in  reli- 
gion had  been  manifested  among  the  boys,  and  Uncle 
John  promised  to  attend  one  of  our  meetings.  He  came, 
and  moved  us  all  by  his  earnest  words  and  fervent  prayers. 
After  this  I  was  going  away  for  ten  days,  and  asked  him 
to  look  after  my  boys  in  my  absence.  He  consented  at 
once.  On  my  return  I  was  prepared  for  something  of  a 
revival,  but  not  to  learn  that  the  chapel  was  crowded,  and 
that  meetings  were  kept  up  three  times  a  day.  And  when 
I  entered  the  chapel  that  afternoon,  what  a  scene  pre- 
sented itself!  The  place  was  half  Babel,  half  Bochim. 
Such  a  murmuring  of  confused  sounds  never  before  had 
greeted  my  ears.  Most  of  the  soldiers  were  kneeling  by 
the  benches,  several  were  engaged  in  prayer,  and  sob- 


1G4  COLrORTAGE. 

bings  and  groanings,  loud  responses,  and  fervent  ejacula- 
tory  petitions,  resounded  in  every  part  of  the  building. 
Uncle  John  was  in  the  midst  of  the  congregation,  kneel- 
ing in  the  aisle  in  front  of  the  pulpit,  and  seemingly  the 
most  engaged  of  all.  After  the  principal  prayer  was  over, 
he  rose,  and  in  his  sweet  soprano  voice  began  a  favorite 
hymn ;  all  joined :  and  the  swelling  praise  went  up 
through  the  white  trembling  canvas  roof.  Other  prayers 
were  offered,  interspersed  with  verses  of  hymns  and  with 
remarks  by  Uncle  John  and  the  chaplain  ;  and  before  the 
meeting  was  dismissed,  all  present  were  earnestly  invited 
to  attend  the  evening  service.  It  seems  that  he  had  insti- 
tuted the  morning  assembly  for  inquirers  and  young  con- 
verts, and  that  in  the  afternoon  for  the  prayers  and  exhor- 
tations of  Christians  generally,  while  more  formal  exer- 
cises occupied  the  meeting  at  night.  The  excitement  and 
confusion  at  first  seemed  to  me  excessive  and  injurious  ; 
but  I  found  that  they  were  to  a  certain  extent  the  natural 
consequences  of  religious  feeling  among  the  soldiers,  and 
that  they  were  rather  checked  than  stimulated  by  Uncle 
John  ;  for  our  soldiers  sometimes  remind  one  of  those  an- 
cient warriors — ''homines  rustici  atque  militares" — whom 
Cicero  mentions  as  having  given  vent  to  their  enthusiasm 
in  loud  shouting.  Besides,  the  other  chaplains  did  not 
find  the  noise  objectionable.  The  evening  meeting  was 
the  most  important.  Generally  there  was  regular  service, 
including  a  sermon  by  one  of  the  chaplains,  after  which 
those  who  loved  the  Lord  and  those  who  desired  to  do  so, 
were  requested  to  remain.  Commonly  very  few  went 
away  ;  and  then  Uncle  John's  woik  began.  After  some 
prayers  and  hymns,  he  would  make  a  short  address,  and 
conclude  by  asking  those  who  felt  themselves  in  need  of 
salvation,  and  who  desired  Christians  to  pray  for  them,  to 
stand  up.     And  then  what  earnestness  in  persuading  sin- 


APPENDIX.  1G5 

ners  to  declare  for  Christ.  He  would  continue  making 
his  remarks,  and  looking  over  the  assembly,  perhaps  for  a 

minute,  till  some  one  rose,  "There's  one,"  says  Uncle 
John  with  visible  emotion.  "Oh,  Mess  (lie  Lord!  There 
is  joy  in  heaven  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth."  Then, 
after  a  short  pause,  he  would  add  in  the  most  inviting 
tones,  '•  And  is  there  no  other  precious  soul  here  that 
wants  a  Saviour  ?  Yes,  there 's  another.  God  bless  you, 
dear  brother.  Oh,  it  was  for  such  that  Jesus  died — Jesus 
the  Son  of  God!"  and  Uncle  John  would  sing, 

"  He  died  for  you, 

He  died  for  me, 
He  died  to  set  poor  sinners  free. 

Oh,  who  's  like  Jesus, 
That  died  ou  the  tree?" 

Another  pause.  "And  isn't  there  any  more  who  want  to 
love  this  blessed  Saviour  ?  Yes,  I  see  you,  dear  brother. 
I  knew  there  would  be  more.  I  feel  that  God  is  here  to- 
night. And  there  's  another,  and  another,  and  another. 
Oh,  hallelujah!  Praise-  the  Lord!"  Another  pause. 
"Now  come,  dear  friends  ;  don't  be  afraid.  The  Lord  is 
waiting  ;  and  Oh,  he  is  waiting  to  be  gracious.  You  do  n't 
suppose  you're  too  great  sinners  to  be  saved,  do  you? 
The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  from  all  sin.  Yes, 
precious  Saviour,  precious  Saviour,  thy  blood  coiild  cleanse 
a  universe  from  guilt."  In  this  way  he  would  go  on  till 
perhaps  a  dozen  or  twenty  had  risen  ;  after  which,  in  order 
to  intensify  good  resolutions,  he  would  invite  them  to  the 
front  seats,  which  were  vacated  for  them.  This  he  did 
often,  not  always.  After  more  prayers  and  hymns,  the 
audience  were  dismissed,  only  the  inquirers  remaining; 
and  then  Uncle  John  and  the  chaplains  conversed  and 
prayed  with  each  individual  according  to  his  case. 

"Talking  meetings,"  designed  chiefly  for  remarks,  ex- 


1G6  COLPORTAGE. 

hortations,  and  relations  of  personal  experience,  sometimes 
took  the  place  of  these  that  I  have  described  ;  they  proved 
very  useful.  Uncle  John  participated  in  them,  as  he  did 
in  all  the  rest.  The  revival  interest  continued  with  little 
abatement  for  five  or  six  weeks,  and  resulted  in  the  estab- 
lishment of  small  congregations  of  believers  in  those  regi- 
ments that  had  chaplains.  Nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty— 
about  one- tenth  of  the  whole  brigade — professed  faith  in 
Christ,  either  renewedly  or  for  the  first  time.  Very  few  of 
these  dear  boys  are  with  us  now  ;  many  are  in  soldiers' 
graves  ;  many  are  sick  or  wounded  at  home  ;  some  are  in 
southern  prisons,  and  some  have  finished  their  term  and 
been  discharged.  But  so  far  as  I  know,  the  great  major- 
ity have  shown  that  their  profession  was  well-founded. 

In  all  our  meetings,  Uncle  John's  singing  did  excellent 
service.  To  use  an  expression  of  his  own,  he  is  "a  walk- 
ing hymn-book."  He  has  a  large  variety  of  hymns  at 
command,  set  to  appropriate  tunes,  and  a  wonderful  facul- 
ty of  instantaneously  producing  in  a  meeting  the  verses, 
and  notes  specially  suitable  to  each  particular  conjunc- 
ture. How  often  have  I  heard  him,  so  soon  as  a  prayer  or 
address  might  end,  strike  up  the  hymn  needed  to  correct 
or  to  carry  out  the  impression  of  it.  He  would  seldom 
sing  the  whole  hymn  ;  but  if  one  or  two  verses  satisfied 
the  occasion,  he  would  cease,  that  the  meeting  might  go 
on.  This  tact  often  helped  greatty  to  render  the  interest 
of  our  exercises  continuous  and  progressive. 

Uncle  John's  voice  is  not  strong,  but  it  is  clear  and 
pleasant ;  and  as  he  sings  with  earnestness  and  truthful- 
ness of  expression,  his  lips  sometimes  seem  to  clothe  old 
verses  with  new  beauty,  and  to  impart  a  striking  and  un- 
expected fulness  of  meaning  to  words  that  have  long  been 
familiar.  Those  who  have  heard  him  will  not  forget  with 
what  joyous  faith  he  sings, 


ArPENDIX.  167 

"  Jesus  shall  reign  where'er  the  sun 
Does  his  successive  journeys  run  ;" 

nor  how  invitingly  and  solemnly  he  renders 

'•  There  is  a  fountain  filled  with  blood, 
Drawn  from  Immanuel's  veins  ;" 

nor  the  tenderness  of  those  lines, 

"Come,  trembling  sinner,  in  whose  breast 
A  thousand  thoughts  revolve  ; 
Come  with  your  guilt  and  fear  opprest, 
And  make  this  last  resolve  ;" 

nor  the  heartiness  of  the  verses, 

"  Come,  ye  sinners,  poor  and  needy, 
Weak  and  wounded,  sick  and  sore  ; 
Jesus  ready  stands  to  save  you, 
Full  of  pity,  love,  and  power." 

How  boldly  he  raises  that  Christian  battle-sojLg, 

"  Am  I  a  soldier  of  the  cross  ?" 

"What  thankfulness  and  love  he  puts  into  that  grand  hymn, 

,L  Oh  for  a  thousand  tongues  to  sing 
My  dear  Redeemer's  praise !" 

"With  what  plaintive  melody  he  sings, 

"  Did  Christ  o'er  sinners  weep  ? 
And  shall  my  tears  be  dry?" 

and  with  what  affectionate  longing, 

"Jerusalem,  my  happy  home." 

These  and  many  other  old  hymns,  and  the  tunes  which 
accompany  them,  are  weapons  of  power  with  Uncle  John. 
Besides  these,  he  has  a  collection  of  modern  religious 
melodies,  generally  lively  in  character,  and  very  popular 
with  soldiers.  Those  beginning,  "My  heavenly  home  is 
bright  and.  fair ;"  "  There  's  a  light  in  the  window  for 
thee,  brother;"  "Must  Jesus  bear  the  cross  alone?"  "A 


168  COLPOHTAGE. 

beautiful  land  by  faith  I  see  ;"  and  those  which  tell  of 
the  "Sweet  hour  of  prayer,"  and  of  "The  gospel  ship," 
which  is  ' '  sailing,  sailing, "  and  of  ' '  The  heavenly  shores  " 
to  which  we  are  "homeward  bound,"  are  fair  examples. 
They  commonly  have  a  chorus,  which  adds  to  their  effect. 
I  shall  not  soon  forget  the  delight  with  which  I  first  heard 
him  singing  a  song,  whose  lively  notes  and  cheerful  re- 
joicing confidence  accorded  admirably  with  his  own  spirit. 
It  was  towards  the  close  of  a  crowded  meeting  in  the  log 
chapel.  He  rose  after  a  prayer,  and  turned  round  in  the 
aisle  so  as  to  face  the  congregation.  His  right  hand  held 
the  left  by  two  fingers,  and  kept  it  out  of  the  way  behind 
his  back.  Standing  in  his  humble  but  easy  manner,  he- 
began  in  a  clear  voice, 

"  We  are  joyously  voyaging  over  the  main, 
» Bound  for  the  evergreen  shore, 
Whose  inhabitants  never  of  sickness  complain, 
And  never  see  death  any  more." 

Warming  as  he  went  on,  he  kept  looking  over  the  audience 
to  observe  their  feeling ;  and  before  he  had  finished,  he 
was  clapping  his  hands  quietty  in  time  to  the  tune,  and 
leading  us  all  in  the  chorus,  like  an  enthusiastic  singing- 
teacher.  The  h'ynm,  though  familiar  now,  was  then  new 
to  most  of  us,  but  we  could  not  help  joining  with  Uncle 
John  to  the  best  of  our  ability  in  the  chorus, 

"  Then  let  the  hurricane  roar, 
It  will  the  sooner  be  o'er  ; 
We  will  weather  the  blast,  and  we  '11  land  at  last, 
Safe  on  the  evergreen  shore." 

Few,  perhaps  none,  went  away  from  the  meeting  that 
night  without  resolving  to  secure  transportation  in  that 
good  ship,  for  which,  according  to  his  wont,  Uncle  John 
was  looking  lip  passengers. 


APPENDIX.  169 

Some  striking  qualities  of  Brother  V 's  character  are 

exhibited  in  his  dealings  with  others  relative  to  their  reh> 
gious  state  and  duty.  His  earnestness  of  manner,  his 
unfeigned  and  affectionate  interest  in  one's  personal  wel- 
fare, and  his  entire  freedom  from  any  sort  of  conventional- 
ity or  constraint,  soon  make  the  heart  trustful,  and  beget 
openness  of  conference  and  confession.  During  a  time  of 
religious  awakening,  he  labors  with  inquirers  night  and 

day.     At  B ,  all  who  witnessed  his  zeal  marvelled  that 

flesh  and  blood  could  endure  such  incessant  excitement 
and  activity.  Three  meetings  a  day,  in  all  of  which  he 
prayed  and  spoke  and  sang,  seemed  in  no  degree  to  dimin- 
ish his  energy  for  special  and  private  exertions.  For 
weeks  he  spent  his  spare  time  in  going  from  tent  to  tent 
conversing  and  praying  with  every  one  who  manifested 
an}7  concern  regarding  religion.  As  he  set  out  one  morn- 
ing to  follow  up  the  impressions  of  the  preceding  night,  I 
went  with  him  down  into  the  company  streets.  Entering 
a  tent  where  two  out  of  the  four  occupants  were  Chris- 
tians, he  addressed  himself  to  each  man  in  suitable  inqui- 
ries and  exhortations,  and  led  in  a  short  prayer.  Then  he 
asked  for  a  sergeant  whom  he  knew  to  be  under  deep  con- 
viction. The  young  man  came  in  as  we  were  going  out  to 
find  him.  Uncle  John  instantly  read  the  trouble  of  his 
face,  which  expressed  the  most  profound  melancholy  ;  and 
laying  his  hand  affectionately  on  the  shoulder  of  the  young 
man,  exclaimed  with  sadness  and  tenderness,  "O  Albert, 
Albert,  my  dear  boy,  have  n't  you  given  your  heart  to  the 
Saviour  yet  ?  What  is  the  matter,  Albert  ?  "Why  do  n't 
you  throw  every  thing  else  away,  and  trust  only  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  ?"  The  young  man  answered  that  he  was  try- 
ing to  do  that,  bat  could  not  find  any  peace.  Every  thing 
seemed  dark,  somehow.  Uncle  John  replied,  ' '  Then  you 
must  pray  to  God  to  make  it  light.     He  can  cause  light  to 


170  COLPORTAGE. 

slime  in  darkness.  And  now,  dear  boys,  let  us  all  pray 
for  Albert,  for  nobody  bnt  God  can  help  him,  and  let 
Albert  pray  for  himself.  Chaplain,  lead  us  in  prayer."  "We 
all  knelt  down  in  the  little  shanty,  which  barely  held  us. 
The  chaplain  prayed,  and  then  Uncle  John  said,  "Now, 
Albert,  you  pray."  The  lad  offered  a  few  simple  and  ear- 
nest petitions.  We  left  him  with  some  words  of  encour- 
agement. Several  frays  afterwards  I  met  him  going  to  one 
of  the  meetings  with  a  shining  and  happy  face.  ' '  "Well,  Al- 
bert," said  I,  "how  do  you  feel  to-day?"  "  Oh,  bright  as  a 
shilling,"  was  the  singular  but  expressive  reply  ;  and  bright 
ever  since  has  been  his  Christian  character  and  course. 

Uncle  John,  without  being  exactly  abrupt,  is  wonder- 
fully quick  and  direct  in  personal  appeal.  His  prepara- 
tory remarks,  if  he  makes  any,  are  very  short ;  sometimes 
merely  the  manner  and  evident  spirit  of  the  man  intro- 
duce what  he  says  ;  but,  in  any  case,  the  first  startling 
sentence  clears  the  way  for  any  that  may  follow.    ' '  Here," 

said  I,  as  we  went  down  the  street,  ' '  is  Sergeant  M , 

Uncle  John."  "How  are  you,  sergeant?"  says  the  ready 
little  man,  taking  the  sergeant  by  the  hand.  "And  I 
hope,  chaplain,  this  good  soldier  has  enlisted  under  the 
banner  of  King  Jesus  ?  Dear  sergeant,  how  is  it  ?  Now 
just  tell  Uncle  John.  Are  you  trying  to  be  a  faithful  ser- 
vant of  God?  Have  you  given  yourself  to  that  blessed 
Saviour  who  died  for  you,  and  who  bought  jtou  with  his 
precious  blood  ?"  As  these  words  were  uttered  with  great 
earnestness  and  affection,  the  sergeant  looked  thoughtful. 
He  confessed  that  he  was  not  a  Christian,  but  said  that  he 
often  desired  to  be  one.  "Oh,  why  then  delay?  Wh}r 
risk  your  eternity  ?  Who  knows  how  soon  the  whizzing 
bullet  or  bursting  shell  may  lay  one  low  ?  And  then,  to 
enter  God's  presence  unprepared !  Oh,  sergeant,  will  you 
not  seek  the  Lord  now,  and  secure  that  glorious  hope 


APPENDIX.  171 

which  is  full  of  immortality  ?"  With  such  words,  spoken 
by  the  way,  Uncle  John  has  moved  many  a  soul  to  the 
consideration  of  its  eternal  interests. 

The  treatment  given  to  his  approaches  and  exhortations 
by  different  parties  is  very  various  ;  but  he  is  equal  to 
any  emergency.  He  instantly  appreciates  the  nature  of 
each  case,  and  gives  the  instruction,  encouragement,  re- 
proof, or  reply  which  is  needed.  I  have  been  astounded 
sometimes  to  hear  officers,  of  whose  profanity,  drunken- 
ness, gambling,  and  dishonesty,  I  was  well  aware,  and 
who  never  to  my  knowledge  showed  even  decent  respect 
for  religion,  tell  Uncle  John  that  they  were  Christian  men. 
I  suppose  they  meant  that  they  had  been  church-mem- 
bers while  in  civil  life.  They  seldom  deceived  him.  His 
interviews  with  such  miserable  men  are  generally  made 
brief.  Without  even  insinuating  distrust,  he  utters  a  few 
awakening  words,  and  is  gone.  "Oh,"  I  have  heard  him 
say,  ' '  how  solemn  a  thing  it  is  to  be  called  by  the  name 
of  Chkist.  What  a  responsibility  lies  on  us  to  adorn  the 
doctrine  of  God  our  Saviour  in  all  things  ;  and  how  hard 
it  is  to  be  a  Christian  in  reality,  in  deed  as  well  as  in  name. 
Yes,  dear  friends,  we  must  strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait 
gate.  I  often  think  what  a  mercy  it  will  be  if  Uncle  John 
ever  gets  to  .heaven.  It  will  be  by  the  triumph  of  grace 
divine.  Oh  the  riches  of  the  grace  of  God ! "  With  such 
sayings  he  leaves  the  backsliders  thinking  and  ill  at  ease. 
Consistent  believers,  on  the  contrary,  seldom  meet  him 
without  enjoying  some  bright  view  of  heavenly  things,  by 
which  their  hearts  are  strengthened  in  faith  and  hope  and 
love. 

The  skill  and  spirit  with  which  he  replies  to  the  pre- 
tences of  unbelief  and  to  the  excuses  of  the  unconverted, 
could  not  be  surpassed.  While  maintaining  the  best 
temper,  and  exhibiting  overflowing  kindness  and  affection 


172  COLTORTAGE. 

for  souls,  he  attacks  every  form  of  sinfulness  and  error 
with  unsparing  fidelity.'  "0  dear  captain,"  I  heard  him 
say.  "how  I  wish  you  would  make  up  your  mind  to  give 
yourself  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  become  a  faith- 
ful soldier  of  the  cross."  '-Well,  Uncle  John,"  said  the 
captajfi,  "I  try  to  do  my  duty,  and  I  think  that  is  all  that 
is  required  of  me."  "  Why,  captain, "^answered  the  little 
man  in  tones  of  astonishment,  "how  can  you  say  so?  No 
man  does  his  duty  who  does  not  give  his  heart  to  God, 
and  live  in  God's  love  and  service.  What  would  you  think 
of  a  man  brought  up  by  a  kind  father,  and  provided  by 
him  with  every  means  of  happiness,  who  should  be  a  good 
brother  and  husband  and  neighbor  and  citizen,  and  yet  be 
a  heartless  and  undutiful  son  ?  Do  n't  you  think  his  wick- 
edness would  be  unspeakably  great?"  "But  the  cases 
are  different,"  rejoins  the  captain.  "No,  they're  not," 
said  Uncle  John.  "That  man  would  be  condemned  by 
the  moral  sense  of  the  community ;  and  the  godless  sin- 
ner, you  may  depend  upon  it,  will  be  condemned  by  the 
public  opinion  of  the  universe."  Thus  boldly  does  this 
humble  servant  of  God  contend  with  the  adversary,  and 
assert  the  prerogatives  of  his  Master  ;  and  he  is  as  ready 
to  do  this  with  officers  in  high  command  as  he  is  with 
private  soldiers.  Colonels  and  generals  have  received 
faithful  admonition  from  him  on  things  vital  to  their  eter- 
nal peace. 

On  one  occasion,  I  cannot  say  whether  I  was  more 
amused  to  see  the  familiar  yet  respectful  assurance,  or 
gratified  to  witness  the  startling  directness  with  which  he 
interrogated  a  brave  colonel  whom  he  had  never  seen  be- 
fore. A  meeting  had  been  concluded  in  front  of  the  head- 
quarters' tent,  and  Uncle  John  had  conversed  and  prayed 
with  a  young  man,  who  had  shown  deep  conviction  and 
anxiety  regarding  his  sins.    Utterly  unconscious  of  human 


APPENDIX.  173 

presence,  and  with  a  simplicity  and  earnestness  which 
rose  above  all  influences  of  time  and  place,  and  surround- 
ed themselves  with  their  own  proprieties — silence,  solem- 
nity, and  attention — he  knelt  with  the  lad  in  the  midst  of 
a  crowd  of  bystanders,  and  prayed  for  him,  for  his  com- 
rades, for  the  officers  of  the  regiment,  and  for  the  whole 
army.  The  vigorous  colloquial  language  of  the  prayer, 
and  its  particularizing  petitions,  in  which  names  and 
places  and  circumstances  were  freely  mentioned,  interest- 
ed and  impressed  the  hearers  of  it.  Conventionalities 
plainly  had  little  to  do  with  Uncle  John's  religion.  The 
young  man  went  away  comforted,  and  trusting  in  God  ; 
and  the  crowd  dispersed.  Then  we  entered  the  colonel's 
tent,  in  which  \je  found  one  or  two  officers  of  the  com- 
mand, together  with  their  chief.  After  a  few  words  of 
conversation  regarding  the  history  of  the  regiment,  and 
its  part  in  the  summer's  campaign,  in  which  it  had  lost 
heavily,  Uncle  John  remarked  that  it  was  a  blessed  thing 
to  have  a  hope  that  no  bullet  or  cannon-ball  can  touch, 
and  a  life  indestructible  and  immortal.  Then  turning  to 
the  colonel,  he  said  in  a  confidential  and  coaxing  wray, 
"And  now,  colonel,  just  tell  Uncle  John,  how  it  is  with 
you.  We  are  all  perishing  creatures,  and  must  soon  be 
in  eternity  together.  Have  you,  dear  colonel,  a  good 
hope  in  Christ  ?  Can  you  say  that  you  knoic  that  your 
Eedeemer  liveth  ?  You  '11  pardon  Uncle  John  for  asking 
you  ;  he'sa  poor  dying  old  man  that  loves  your  soul,  and 
wants  it  to 'be  saved."  This  appeal,  made  rapidly,  with- 
out any  apparent  premeditation,  and  writh  great  tact  and 
tenderness,  evidently  affected  the  colonel.  Uncle  John 
proceeded  in  the  same  manner  as  before,  "You  know 
what  I  mean.  I  do  n't  mean,  Are  you  a  professor  of  reli- 
gion ?  for  there  are  many  unworthy  professors  ;  but,  has 
your  heart  been  renewed  by  grace  divine?     That  is  the 


174  COLPORTAGE. 

point.  Have  you  become  a  new  creature  in  Christ  Jesus? 
Have  you  experienced  that  change  of  which  our  Saviour 
speaks  when  he  declares  that  a  man  must  be  born  again 
before  he  can  see  the  kingdom  of  God  ?"  The  colonel  ex- 
pressed a  hope  that  he  was  a  Christian ;    and  Brother 

V replied  that  he  rejoiced  to  hear  him  say  so  ;  that  he 

prayed  the  Lord  to  bless  him  and  make  him  faithful  to 
the  end  ;  and  that  he  wished  before  God  that  all  our  lead- 
ers were  earnest,  believing  men." 

I  have  not  spoken  hitherto  of  Uncle  John  as  a  public 
speaker,  because  the  peculiarities  of  his  character  are  bet- 
ter illustrated  by  other  topics,  and  perhaps  also  from  a 
consciousness  of  inability  to  describe  correctly  his  more 
sustained  efforts.  During  the  revival  of  last  winter  he 
frequently  moved  the  audiences  in  the  log  chapel  with 
short  but  thrilling  strains  of  extemporaneous  eloquence. 
Few  of  those  who  listened  to  these  addresses  regarded 
them  in  a  rhetorical  aspect ;  criticism  is  not  in  the  line  of 
soldiers  ;  but  all  felt  his  power,  and  agreed  that  "he  knew 
how  to  talk."  Those  of  us,  however,  who  were  accustomed 
to  notice  mental  methods,  could  not  but  wonder  at  the 
man's  gifts.  For  myself,  I  listened  to  passages  in  his  ora- 
tory such  as,  I  think,  are  seldom  heard  from  either  pulpit 
or  rostrum.  His  style  at  times  reminded  one  of  the  more 
serious  and  moving  utterances  of  Gough.  But  his  dis- 
courses showed  more  argument  than  is  commonly  attempt- 
ed in  those  of  that  interesting  lecturer.  Thought  after 
thought  was  presented  and  illustrated  with  admirable 
though  untaught  adherence  to  the  rules  of  art.  The  logi- 
cal order  of  the  ideas,  their  progressive  continuity  of  im- 
pulse, their  practical  development  and  application,  wrere 
faultless.  Homely  condensed  language,  natural  and  strik- 
ing metaphors,  unexpected  similes,  antitheses,  and  turns 
of  expression,  a  becoming  gesticulation,  and  a  voice  won- 


APPENDIX.  175 

derfully  persuasive  and  rich  with  sympathetic  feeling, 
engaged  attention,  awoke  the  heart's  best  emotions,  and 
excited  new  interest  in  the  saving  truths  of  Christianity. 
The  sincere  and  humble  earnestness  of  the  man  was  also 
a  chief  element  of  his  power.  Not  a  word  was  uttered  for 
oratorical  effect.  Every  sentence  manifested  yearning 
love  for  souls,  vivid  conceptions  of  eternal  things,  and  a 
solemn  sense  of  the  presence  of  God.  Success  too,  though 
confidently  looked  for,  was  expected  solely  through  the 
divine  blessing.  What  wonder  was  it  that  such  speaking 
produced  results  that  have  been  visible  ever  since  ?  For 
my  part,  I  doubt  not  that  it  was  instrumental  of  everlast- 
ing good. 

During  the  early  part  of  last  summer  he  labored  in  the 
army  of  the  James,  among  the  colored  regiments,  and 
as  might  be  conjectured,  was  very  successful  in  arousing 
the  lively  African  soldiers  to  the  duties  and  attractions  of 
religion.  From  one  thousand  to  fifteen  hundred  souls 
were  frequently  present  at  meetings  held  in  the  open  air. 
It  was  a  scene  worthy  of  a  painter's  skill,  when  the  little 
man,  in  his  own  tender  and  telling  way,  addressed  the 
gathered  hundreds  of  his  sable  brethren  ;  and  when  he  led 
those  assemblies  in  one  of  his  stirring  hymns,  I  think  that 
the  loud  notes  of  praise  rivalled  in  spirit  and  grandeur 
any  that  ever  echoed  from  cathedral  roofs. 

After  a  time  he  was  induced  to  have  his  headquarters 
with  us,  and  to  make  our  division  the  principal  field  of 
his  labors.  In  this  way  I  had  the  privilege,  several  times 
during  the  summer,  of  hearing  him  speak  in  public.  His 
addresses  are  invariably  extemporaneous.  He  says  that 
deliberate  composition  is  very  difficult  and  irksome  for 
him  ;  which,  indeed,  might  be  inferred  from  his  vivacious 
and  emotional  temperament,  and  his  want  of  literary 
training.     His  efforts  too,  though  always  interesting  to  his 


176  COLFORTAGE. 

hearers,  are  not  always  of  equal  power.  I  was  particularly 
pleased  with  au  address  which  he  made  one  September 
evening  in  the  plaza  of  Fort  Davis  to  a  regiment  drawn  up 
before  him  in  line.  The  colonel  had  directed  a  notifica- 
tion of  the  companies  for  a  prayer-meeting  which  we  pro- 
posed to  have  ;  but  the  adjutant,  thinking,  I  presume,  to 
do  the  business  thoroughly,  ordered  out  the  wdiole  com- 
mand, as  if  for  dress-parade.  Uncle  John  stood  with  his 
hands  behind  him,  leaning  against  a  tree  in  front  of  the 
headquarters,  while  company  after  company  filed  past  him, 
faced  to  the  rear,  and  dressed  into  correct  position.  The 
men  evidently  wrere  wondering  what  was  going  on ;  and 
some  of  the  officers  seemed  to  think  that  a  joke  wras  being 
perpetrated  on  the  chaplains  and  Uncle  John.  However 
we  were  ready  for  the  emergency.  A  prayer-meeting  was 
out  of  the  question  ;  so  we  resolved  on  some  public  exer- 
cises. After  an  introductory  address,  a  hymn,  and  a 
prayer,  Uncle  John  was  invited  to  speak.  He  began  by 
expressing  his  gratitude  to  the  colonel  for  that  opportunity 
of  addressing  the  officers  and  men  of  ' '  the  dear  old  Sev- 
enth." He  had  come  expecting  enly  to  attend  a  prayer- 
meeting,  but  was  glad  to  meet  so  many  brave  men.  As 
he  looked  on  the  faces  before  him,  and  saw  howT  very  few 
were  present  of  those  whom  he  had  seen  last  winter,  the 
thought  arose,  "Where  were  those  brave  boys  that  left 

the  old  camp  at  B ■?"     They  are  gone  ;  they  lie  on  the 

battle-fields  of  the  Wilderness,  and  of  Spottsylvania,  and 
of  the  North  Anna,  and  of  Coal  Harbor — all  along  the  way 
from  the  Kapidan  to  Petersburg.  Some  are  at  home  in 
the  North,  or  in  hospitals  ;  but  how  many  occupy  their 
long,  last  home — a  soldiers  grave!  Scarcely  one  is  left  of 
the  familiar  faces.  Ah,  well  did  he  remember  some  of 
those  noble  boys  that  he  used  to  see  in  the  old  log  chapel, 
and  whom    he   should   see   never  more  on  earth.     But, 


APPENDIX.  177 

blessed  be  God,  he  had  a  bright  hope  of  meeting  them  in 
heaven.  They  were  heroes  of  Christ,  and  of  his  cross. 
Now  they  have  fought  their  fight,  they  have  finished  then- 
course,  and  they  have  received  their  crown.  Oh,  how  he 
wished  that  every  soldier  was  a  truly  Christian  man,  and 
prepared  for  any  chance  that  might  befall  him.  He  knew 
many  brave  men  who  were  not  Christians  ;  but  it  was  al- 
ways a  mystery  to  him  how  any  man  could  face  death 
without  a  hope  in  that  blessed  Saviour,  who  had  triumph- 
ed over  death  and  the  grave.  He  supposed  a  sense  of 
duty  would  do  much,  but  how  much  better  was  it  to  be 
sure  that  one's  soul  has  been  saved  with  an  eternal  salva- 
tion. Then  the  king  of  terrors  is  dethroned,  and  death 
becomes  the  gate  of  heaven.  Did  you  never  think,  he 
asked,  against  what  love  you  offend  while  you  remain  un- 
reconciled to  God  ?  Oh,  it  filled  all  heaven  with  wonder 
when  God's  glorious  Son  took  on  him  our  salvation,  and 
offered  himself  for  our  sins.  Never  was  love  Like  His 
love.  How  can  you  refuse  your  hearts  to  that  loving,  dy* 
ing  Saviour?  Surely  you  will  not  suffer  it  to  be  that 
Christ  should  have  died  for  you  in  vain. 

"  The  Son  of  God  in  tears, 
Angels  with  wonder  see  ; 
Be  thou  astonished,  0  my  soul, 
He  shed  those  tears  for  thee. 

"  He  -^ept  that  we  might  weep, 
Each,  sin  demands  a  tear. 
In  heaven  alone  no  sin  is  found, 
And  there 's  no  weeping  there." 

Dear  soldiers,  if  I  know  my  own  heart,  I  earnestly  desire 
the  welfare  of  you  all.  God  knows  that  I  love  you,  and 
want  to  see  you  happy.  And  when  I  think  of  the  fatigues 
and  exposures,  and  dangers  which  soldiers  must  undergo, 
Oh,  how  I  wish  to  have  them  sustained  and  comforted  by 

Colportafe.  12 


178  COLPORTAGE. 

the  hopes  and  consolations  of  the  gospel !  I  would  that 
every  one  of  you  had  a  sure  title  to  a  mansion  in  the  skies. 
I  would  that  you  could  all  look  from  these  scenes  of  con- 
flict, and  suffering,  and  death,  to  that  blessed  land  where 
there  is  war  no  more.  Oh,  yes  ;  no  whistling  minie  ball, 
no  bursting  Parrot  shell,  shall  disturb  the  peaceful  inhab- 
itants of  that  heavenly  country.  In  that  land  there  shall 
be  rest  for  the  weary  ;  pain  and  grief  shall  not  enter  there ; 

"  No  groans  shall  mingle  with  the  songs, 
That  warble  from  immortal  tongues." 

Now  let  me  say  a  few  words  to  those  of  you  who  are  Chris- 
tians. Dear  brethren,  you  are  surrounded  by  temptations  ; 
but  strive  to  live  faithfully  ;  hold  fast  your  profession  ;  let 
no  man  rob  you  of  your  crown.  Trust  not  in  yourselves, 
but  in  One  that  is  mighty.  Keep  looking  up  to  Jesus, 
and  you  will  be  conquerors,  and  more  than  conquerors 
through  him  that  loves  you.  Recently  by  the  bedside  of 
a  dear  corporal,  that  formerly  belonged  to  your  regiment, 
but  that  now  sleeps  in  Jesus,  I  felt  what  truth,  what  pow- 
er, there  is  in  the  religion  of  Christ.  All  was  peace  with 
him,  perfect  peace.  He  knew  that  he  was  dying  ;  but  he 
rejoiced  in  the  hope  of  a  better  life,  in  the  sure  prospect 
of  a  glorious  immortality.  "Oh  let  me  die  the  death  of 
the  righteous,  and  let  my  last  end  be  like  his."  And  as 
for  you,  dear  Mends,  who  are  without  Christ,  will  you  not 
seek  an  interest  in  his  salvation  ?  Will  you  not  begin  to 
love  and  serve  that  Redeemer  who  can  save  and  bless  you 
for  ever  ?  Yes  ;  Jesus  is  the  Saviour  that  you  need  ; 
"None but  Jesus, 
None  but  Jesus 
Can  do  helpless  sinners  good." 

Oh,  then,  do  not  hesitate.  To-morrow  may  be  too  late. 
Who  knows  how  soon  the  bolt  of  death  may  come?  Now, 
while  it  is  called  to-day,  give  your  hearts  to  God,  and 


APPENDIX.  179 

kneel  before  him  in  penitence  and  prayer.  Dear  sol- 
diers, I  thank  you  for  the  kind  attention  with  which  you 
have  listened  to  me.  May  the  Lord  bless  you  all,  and 
bring  you  to  his  heavenly  kingdom ! 

Such,  as  nearly  as  memory  serves  me,  was  the  course 
of  thought  and  style  of  language  employed  by  Uncle  John. 
But  the  foregoing  sketch  can  give  no  adequate  idea  of  the 
living  power  with  which  he  spoke.  His  allusions  to  the 
uncertainty  of  life  and  the  nearness  of  death  had  a  pecu- 
liar significance  with  those  whom  he  addressed.  Several 
of  their  number  had  been  instantaneously  killed,  not  long 
before,  on  the  picket  line  in  front  of  the  fort ;  and  a  day 
or  two  subsequently  to  our  meeting,  one  poor  lad  was 
struck  by  a  minie  ball  and  died  in  five  minutes,  only  a 
few  paces  from  the  spot  where  he  had  listened  to  Uncle 
John.  The  summer's  campaign  had  made  us  all  too 
much  accustomed  to  these  things. 

Uncle  John's  labors  during  the  summer  with  the  sick 
and  wounded  of  the  army  were  abundant.  He  went  with 
the  trains  and  the  steamboats  laden  with  the  disabled  of 
the  great  battles,  and  exerted  himself  incessantly  for  the 
welfare  of  both  body  and  soul.  He  considered  no  service 
too  laborious  or  too  menial  to  perform  for  the  helpless 
sufferers.  Many  owe  their  lives  to  him,  and  by  him  many 
have  been  led  into  the  way  of  life  eternal.  The  large  tents 
which  constitute  the  hospital  wards,  receive  daily  visits 
from  him  ;  and  any  special  want  of  their  inmates  engages 
his  immediate  attention.  He  is  particularly  ready  to  con- 
verse and  pray  with  those  who  are  dangerously  ill,  or  who 
express  spiritual  anxiety.  Every  evening  also,  if  duty 
does  not  call  him  elsewhere,  he  assists  a  chaplain  in  con- 
ducting short  exercises.  The  wards,  to  the  number  of 
eight  or  nine  are  successively  visited,  and  in  each  of  them 
two  or  three  verses  are  sung  and  a  prayer  is  offered.     In 


180  COLPOKTAGE. 

these  services  Uncle  John's  gift  of  song  is  most  happily 
employed.  His  choice  variety  of  hymns,  his  tact  in  select- 
ing verses,  and  his  admirable  use  of  tunes,  both  old  and 
new,  contribute  greatly  to  render  this  evening  worship  in- 
teresting and  profitable.  I  have  noticed,  too,  that  occa- 
sionally he  gives  a  line  according  to  a  version  of  his  own, 
no  way  inferior  to  the  variations  of  the  hynm-books. 

Besides  these  employments  at  the  hospitals,  a  great 
part  of  his  time  is  taken  up  in  visiting  the  camps,  where 
he  distributes  religious  reading  and  sanitary  comforts, 
and  helps  the  chaplains  at  prayer-meetings  and  public 
services.  These  journeyings  call  into  play  his  powers  as 
a  pedestrian,  which  are  most  extraordinary.  He  thinks 
nothing  of  a  stretch  of  eight  or  ten  miles  ;  and  one  hot 
day  of  last  summer  I  knew  him  to  walk  fifteen  miles  and 
back  again,  with  very  little  appearance  of  fangue.  Every- 
where, and  among  all  classes,  he  finds  a  cordial  welcome. 
Many  chaplains  particularly,  and  among  them  the  writer 
of  this,  feel  themselves  under  profound  obligations  to 
him  ;  for  we  are  generally  agreed  that  it  would  be  difficult, 
perhaps  impossible,  to  find  another  man  in  the  country  so 
well  qualified  as  he  for  religious  labor  among  soldiers,  at 
least  for  that  kind  of  labor  which  Uncle  John  performs. 
And  certainly  no  one  could  enter  upon  such  work  with 
more  self-devoting  zeal  than  that  which  animates  this  sin- 
gularly-gifted man.  The  camp  and  hospital,  the  march 
and  the  bivouac,  the  siege-line  and  the  battle-field,  have 
witnessed  his  untiring  energy  in  the  service  of  a  Divine 
Master.  Ten  thousand  thanks  to  the  American  Tract  So- 
ciety for  sustaining  such  a  man  in  so  blessed  a  work. 

When  I  look  upon  Uncle  John  as  he  is  now,  a  ready 
and  mighty  laborer  in  the  cause  of  man's  regeneration, 
and  compare  him  with  what  he  was  sixteen  years  ago,  the 
lively  and  driving  manager  of  work  in  a  brewery,  I  ex- 


APPENDIX.  181 

claim,  "How  powerful  is  the  grace  of  God  ;  what  changes 
it  can  effect ;  how  marvellously  it  fashions  the  most  un- 
likely materials  into  blessed  instrumentalities  of  good ! " 
Under  its  influence,  abilities  and  habits,  developed  in  a 
life  of  eager  worldliness,  are  employed  with  singular  effi- 
ciency in  the  pursuit  of  heavenly  objects ;  the  want  of 
early  preparation  and  instruction  is  compensated  by  the 
improvement  of  a  devoted  mind  ;  and  a  holy  consecration 
of  purpose  is  unflinchingly  sustained  for  years,  and  crown- 
ed with  ever-increasing  success.  Such  an  instance  is  rare  ; 
so  that  none  should  presume  to  squander  precious  time  in 
the  hope  of  future  faithfulness  ;  but  what  encouragement 
it  contains  for  those,  of  whatever  age  or  condition  of  life, 
who  feel. themselves  called  to  some  special  department  of 
the  service  of  God.  How  surely  he  can  sustain  and  pros- 
per us  while,  in  some  fitting  sphere,  we  labor  earnestly 
for  him ! 

I  now  bring  to  a  close  my  intellectual  companionship 
with  Uncle  John  ;  and  I  do  so  with  regret.  It  has  pleas- 
antly occupied  some  evenings,  which  otherwise  might 
have  passed  unimproved  in  the  bomb-proof  and  the  wall- 
tent.  Fare  ye  well,  dear,  good  man.  You  have  some- 
times been  a  sad  reproof  to  me  for  my  want  of  resolution 
and  fidelity  in  the  discharge  of  a  holy  calling — a  reprooft 
none  the  less  potent  because  all  unconsciously  adminis- 
tered :  but  for  that  I  bear  you  no  ill-will ;  I  rather  render 
thanks  to  Heaven  that  I  have  seen  the  living  power  of 
Christianity  brightly  illustrated,  and  I  pray  God  for  a 
baptism  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  that  I  may  more  successfully 
emulate  the  example  of  his  devoted  servants,  in  closely 
following  the  footsteps  of  our  divine  Saviour.  Fare  ye 
well,  dear  Uncle  John.  May  God  long  spare  you,  a  bless- 
ing to  your  kind,  and  at  last  take  you  gently  to  his  heav- 
enly home!        And  when   separating  years   shall  have 


182  COLPORTAGE. 

passed  away ;  when  the  great  war,  now  nearing  its  end, 
shall  have  been  succeeded  by  times  of  national  prosperity  ; 
when  your  friend,  the  chaplain,  if  God  prosper  him,  shall 
have  attained  his  desire,  and  be  the  pastor  of  some  peace- 
ful village  flock ;  when  your  moving  and  persuasive  voice 
shall  be  hushed  in  death  ;  when  your  face  and  form,  now 
welcome  and  familiar,  shall  present  themselves  no  more 
for  cordial  greetings  ;  and  when  your  triumphant  spirit, 
freed  from  earth's  fetters,  shall  be  rejoicing  on  high,  in 
the  activities  of  an  immortal  life — then  it  may  give  pleas- 
ure to  review  these  pages,  the  souvenir  of  the  acquaint- 
ance of  a  twelvemonth  ;  to  recall  lovingly  the  most  cher- 
ished memories  of  one's  army  life,  and  to  think  of  a 
sainted  Uncle  John. 

This  remarkable  man — John  E.  Vassar — 
entered  Richmond  with  the  federal  forces 
upon  its  evacuation  by  the  Confederates,  and 
has  ever  since  toiled  with  unflagging  zeal, 
and  amazing  success,  for  the  spiritual  wel- 
fare of  the  Southern  poor.  Thousands  of 
white  and  colored  children  have  been  taught 
to  read  God's  word  in  Sabbath-schools  form- 
ed through  his  agency ;  and  hundreds  of  souls 
are  blessing  God  to-day,  that  through  him 
they  have  found  Christ  precious. 

May  he  long  live  to  serve  that  Saviour 
through  Union  Missionary  Colportage  as 
conducted  by  the  American  Tract  Society ! 


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